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Anti-War Protesters Arrested In Colorado Springs
Seven Iraq war protesters who had a permit to march in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Colorado Springs were arrested Saturday for refusing to cooperate with the police. The protesters wore green "peace" shirts and carried signs that said "Kids Not Bombs" and "End This War Now." Despite the possession of a permit, the marchers were halted by police when parade organizers saw their signs and asked the police to intervene.
There were about 45 people in the group--Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission--and, according to the Colorado Springs police, most of them left when they were told to. However, a small group sat in the road and were "escorted off." One woman sustained a minor leg injury as she was dragged off, a retired priest was taken in a chokehold, a taser gun was pointed at the protesters, a police officer broke one of the signs over his knee, and a good time was had by all.
The protesters say they marched with the parade last year without any trouble. The parade organizers, who say they have no memory of the protesters' having marched before, permit political candidates to march, but "It is our goal not to turn this into a confrontational political atmosphere."
Why aren't the marchers and organizers of the St. Patrick's Day parade in Iraq fighting for their freedom? It's ok if other people's children go off to fight in Bushes' Folly why the parade marchers get to frolich about.
I would hardly consider the war in Iraq "fighting for the freedom" of Americans.
Last time I checked, those who were oppressed in Iraq were Iraqis, not Americans.
Calling in the police hardly seems like a reasonable way to meat a goal of avoiding a confrontational atmosphere.
The constitutional rights of these people have been violated. The states must recognize the 1st and 8th ammendment as part of the Supreme Court's doctrine of Incorporation. Becaue they had a permit, they had a right to march, and because it was a peaceful and nondisruptive demonstration, the police didn't have a right to arrest them. The question is how much should they sue for damages?
I couldn't agree more, Michael. This is a pivotal moment that should be used to rally the public to anger and protest at the changing face of our society and government. What happened in Colorado Springs is decidedly unAmerican.
??? It was a St. Patrick's day parade. It was not the place. There were kids all around. I was there. The protestors were inappropriate. If a "strip club" wanted to have a float and have ladies dancing on it in skimping clothes, do they have a constitutional right to be in the parade? No. It's not the appropriate place or venue.
"do they have a constitutional right to be in the parade?
Um, Michelle, yes they DO!
"It was not the place."
When IS it THE PLACE? When you are thumblocked and water cannoned in your 'free speech' zone?
"There were kids all around."
What is more old school American than having kids learn what Democracy in action is all about? Oh, I'm sorry, that must be unamerikan!
Possibly I'm missing the objection here. Putting aside the question of constitutionality (clearly carrying signs with a permit is not a constitutional problem), what is the connection between strip clubs and people carrying "Kids not Bombs" signs?
I'm quite sure it said they were wearing "PEACE" shirts....
Just a chance for some good ol' fashioned immorality by association?
Michelle, the fightin' Irish of old would have been proud to know their parade became an outlet for protest by the people. And I'm with ForestLady: if you associate war protestors with strip club dancers, your view of the whole thing is pretty warped.
Michelle,
In this country we have a constitutional right to peacable assembly. They even got the appropriate permit. Of course they had the right to be there.
I must be missing your point. Is Saint Patrick the patron saint of war? Is that why you object and feel that it was inappropriate?
I would think it would be VERY appropriate for children to learn that peace is an option. They're certainly not going to learn it from watching American TV.
From the Gazette article linked to in the first paragraph: "Political candidates are allowed to take part, but the parade has never allowed 'social issues,' said parade organizer John O’Donnell, A CONDITION TO WHICH PARTICIPANTS AGREE."
It appears the detail I've emphasized above with capitalization was intentionally omitted from the blog posting, as this detail would obviously raise the question of whether the protesters had misrepresented their intentions to parade organizers.
The Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission regularly stages public protests in Colorado Springs (with proper permitting, I assume), and often with media coverage, so to frame this as a muzzling of their anti-war viewpoint is ludicrous. This boils down to the PPJPC lying about their intentions to parade organizers, then whining when they were called on it.
If the PPJPC wants to organize their own parade, more power to them. If they're denied their own permit due to viewpoint discrimination I'll agree there is a problem. But to hijack another private group's parade through dishonesty just weakens their argument . . . and has NOTHING to do with the first amendment.
What a load of crap on Gazette's part. In the Gazette, they said that 7 protestors were arrested in the parade because they LACKED the permit for protest. That's slander.
Michelle,
The "Hooters Girls", although not strippers, were in the parade. Many consider that inappropriate for young children and a bad example for young girls.
We had a permit, did not disrupt anything, and marched with a message of peace. In this town, "dem's fightin' words". A couple of parade marshalls took offense, called the cops, who, as everyone has seen in the photos on CSaction.org, went ballistic.
That was inappropriate for the children.
The violation of the first amendment right to speak and peacably to assemble was inappropriate for the children.
The violent police brutality against elderly women was inappropriate for the children.
We were not.
Mark Lewis
CSaction.org