DENVER- Tensions mount on third day of DNC protests. R-68’s Carlos is arrested for a too-spirited rebuttal of an anti-gay provocateur. Another participant was arrested for stepping into the street to take a picture.
As Backbone Project organizers were trying to pull together today’s march, a couple of god-hates-fags preachers set up on a corner of Civic Center Park. Crowds were drawn and angry debates led to confrontation led to a parade of police intervening. One of Recreate-68’s people was arrested and led off, while the preachers went on try to goad others. The crowd followed the police which built to a stand off at the West edge of the park. There, squad after squad of policemen held the line along the street while behind them more police donned riot gear.
It was barely eleven a.m. and already the megaphone rhetoric was elevated to expressions of the standoff the night before. The crowd shouted and chanted until the police abruptly marched away. De-escalating the tension.
The demonstration went as planned, with the spirited participation of Code Pink, plus all the Backbone Campaign puppets. Except the parade was lead by a dozen bicycle police, and a police ATV golf cart with a large electronic sign that flashed back at the marchers: “WELCOME TO DENVER” AND “FOLLOW ME”
I’d like to add that Policemen are insistent on being given right of way. Police cyclists ride beside every procession. Even shouting out warnings to clear their own personal way.
