Denver Police Have Already Arrested About 100 Protesters

The Associated Press reports that, as of early Tuesday, about 100 people have been arrested following the breakup of a protest by Denver police.

The confrontation erupted Monday night as police in riot gear tried to disperse a crowd of about 300 people that was disrupting traffic near the Denver City and County Building.

Police said they were forced to use pepper spray when members of the crowd, some carrying rocks, rushed a police safety line. But one protester said officers charged the protesters with no warning.

Those arrested faced charges for violating city ordinances including failure to obey a lawful order, obstructing a public roadway and interference.

"The bonds have ben set low enough so that we believe that most people will bond out in a relatively short time," said John Harrison of the Joint Information Center, a command set up by city, state and federal authorities to field media inquiries during the convention.

Harrison said two officers deployed pepper spray during the incident, while another officer shot pepper balls, similar to a paint ball containing pepper spray.

Click here to read the entire story

The American News Project has video of the protest, and the ensuing violence.

Watch:

Comments

[SwingingFromCenter]

Yeah, cause disrupting traffic in a city that has bad traffic is the PERFECT way to get people to sway to your train of thought and belief.

[jpcline004]

LOL exactly

[Rule Of Law]

Let's see.....Bomb a country for oil--or--disrupt a little traffic to protect All Of Our Constitutional Rights to freedom of speech, assembly, and seeking redress.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm?

[prattvictory]

Disrupting traffic? How about breaking on to a ship and throwing its cargo overboard?

[realityczech4u]

Disruption of traffic or pedestrian thoroughfares in any city no matter how bad the traffic is an infringement on other citizens rights. It is not only hypocrisy on the part of people who live and breath "rights" to ignore this aspect of their actions, but it is foolhardy. For if the police are not on the job protecting the rights of these other citizens, they are very likely to rise up in righteous indignation and take care of it themselves.

[Rule Of Law]

Let's see.....Bomb a country for oil--or--disrupt a little traffic to protect All Of Our Constitutional Rights to freedom of speech, assembly, and seeking redress.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm?

[tea in the harbor]

So much for that whole "Land of the free" thing!

If our freedom of speech requires being in cages and designated areas it is of very little value. It is the people of this Nation who have the right to decide if a protest has merit, not the police!

[SwingingFromCenter]

You apparently didn't see all the video showing the protesters antagonizing the police and doing the equivalent of throwing a punch at you and then pulling back at the last moment (charging at them and then backing off)

[dogman44]

I've been reading your crap all night. Go swing from a rope.

[Rule Of Law]

Imagine Jefferson, Washington, Adams and Franklin in cages...

If we are no longer strong enough to allow freedom, then we do not deserve the right to be free.

[chinationreport]

At the first glance I thought this was happening in Beijing. Sorry, I just got use to link headline news 'protest' with Beijing and communist regime.

[SwingingFromCenter]

You apparently didn't see all the video showing the protesters antagonizing the police and doing the equivalent of throwing a punch at you and then pulling back at the last moment (charging at them and then backing off)

[Furby]

And we whine because the Chinese government would not allow "peaceful" protests in Beijing. Is it a wonder they didn't? Maybe the Chinese inadvertently saved a few people from making total a$$es of themselves.

[Minimax]

There's a long history in America of rightwingers sending in provocateurs to cause trouble and justify police violence.

[poco767c]

Why does Huffpost keep banning me?? :(
Also stop persecuting innocent protesters. If they are violent then stop them, but stop with the heavy handed stasi tactics.

[SwingingFromCenter]

You apparently didn't see all the video showing the protesters antagonizing the police and doing the equivalent of throwing a punch at you and then pulling back at the last moment (charging at them and then backing off)

[poco767c]

"If they are violent then stop them"
Every so often a protester needs an attitude readjustment.
But I am just concerned about baton being the default setting for some LEO's

[Rule Of Law]

The Constitution gives us the right to public assembly--not to be fenced like animals in protester "gulags" or limited in our expression of freedom of speech. There is nothing in the document about "free speech areas"--such a thing would have been unthinkable to the men and women who had just fought for the right to be free. Agree or disagree with what anyone has to say, but they have the god given and Constitutional rights to say it in this country--or at least they did.

As minimax points out, above, provocateurs are often the pawns of power and used to discredit the voice of the people. The Constitution has been shredded by Bush, we are fighting an immoral and illegal war of occupation for the oil companies, and our Economy is that of a 3rd world country. If the DNC or those anointed for office refuse to address these concerns it is the DUTY of any and all Americans to speak out. If you don't like what the people in the street have to say, go there and exercise your right to speak against it! But we must stop this silly talk of compromising all of our rights in the name of a tidy corporate convention where only those with money have a voice.

[AndrewInToronto]

I can remember in BC when the former Indonesian President, Suharto, came on an ASEAN meeting which the Canadian federal government was hosting under Prime Minister Cretien. The same thing happened to protesters there who were peacefully voicing their concern about human-rights issues, including on a car route which Suharto was to take. Or the violence against protesters in Quebec at the WTO forum a few years ago. The power of the State to suppress freedom whether through federal officers down to the municipal police.

[ObamanextPresident]

No video of the confrontation or arrests? On msnbc Mike Tabai (sp?) made reference to Bill Ayers before giving his report which was like no reporting at all.

Please support the ACLU. Our time is now.

[LibRS]

i wouldn't donate one red cent to that bunch of communist sactimonious, greedy, lying, trial lawyers.

[Eric8869]

The ACLU supports your right to freedom of speech. They fight for you to call them all those names. Thank god they exist.

[research]

Then kiss you liberty goodbye.

The ALCU is the essence of American Liberty. They protect the rights of those we DON"T like, the only ones who need protection.

First they came for the Jews....

[BlueBerryPickN]

WHO IS LYING TO RANDI RHODES?

why is she moaning that anybody who wants platform change or peaceable assembly is AGAINST THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY?

why is she telling people that only a 'couple' of people were arrested & that it was their own fault for 'charging at the cops'??

there are questions to be asked & MORE questions for which answers should be demanded...

& the Progressive media had better pull their thumbs out & get on it.

WHO WAS BUGGING CINDY SHEEHAN'S PHONE in her HOTEL ROOM?

YOU DON'T HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT GLEN GREENWALD's observation:

the Convention is in the PEPSI Center & the DNC bags? sponsored by AT&T... gee... wonder if the Democrats are still interested in that SPYING issue???

Spread Love...

BlueBerry Pick'n
ThisCanadian com
" ... tolerance of intolerance is cowardice... " ~ Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
"We, two, form a Multitude" ~ Ovid.
"Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced"
"Do no harm"

[sillymongoose23]

hey hey hey... you leave randi rhoades out of it... you wanna talk about some lying let me introduce you to ur image in the mirror.... also rush and bush and mccain and the%2

[SwingingFromCenter]

Because they were charging at the cops. Video proves it. End of story. Get a clue.

[JoeBlough]

RANDI RHODES - is that a porn name?

[poco767c]

If they are protesting let them protest it is their right.If they rush the police then arrest them.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2007/08/22/ot-police-070822.html
I am reminded of this story from Canada

[the964kid]

Expect 10 times as many protesters at the GOP convention next week.

[marymansour]

I hope they scorch the place and burn it down. I am so sick of PUMAs and GOP. .

[RunMeloRun]

LOL the way they talked about beijing Olympics made you think protestors would get greetings and free meals in this country, what? they get arrested here too?

[jasonsabio]

20 year-olds arrested for blocking traffic is quite different from 72 year-old ladies being sent to a "re-education camps" because they applied for a protest permit.

You're comparing apples to orange torture camp jumpsuits.

[cruzy]

Well, yes, if you break the law and block the street and prevent traffic from moving, then you get arrested. I don't find that unreasonable. There are parks, sidewalks, and plenty of spaces to stand and hold signs and chant where you are perfectly free to exercise your First Amendment rights without getting arrested.

Basically, these individuals are choosing to engage in civil disobedience by breaking the law and blocking traffic. That's fine, but if you choose to break the law, then you need to accept the consequences of doing so. Ghandi, a pioneer of using civil disobedience to effect social change and an inspiration to many individuals who choose to engage in civil disobedience, was very clear on that matter--people need to accept the consequences for breaking the law.

Also, throwing rocks amounts to assualt, which is another action which will get you arrested.

I am glad people exercise their right to protest, but I get annoyed when some of them break the law and then act shocked and outraged that they get arrested---sorry, but you need to face the music and accept the consequences of breaking the law.

[tompoe]

notmccain, it's not MSM, it's corporate media. The arrests are a self-fulfilling prophecy. Spend all that money to police things, then send police out to justify costs. Much like the quota system for traffic tickets.

[NotMcCain]

The MSM keeps calling them "protesters" as if they're protesting the Democratic convention or Obama.

They're. Not.

They're just trying to get ATTENTION for a number of unrelated causes.

[evilzed]

And I love how Fox News got stampeded on by the crowd http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6312
Taunt of "fu## Fox News" rang out and confrontations. Priceless stuff