from rocky mountain news
83 protesters arrested at Columbus Day Parade
By Associated Press
October 6, 2007
Protesters blocked the Columbus Day Parade route in Denver Saturday and poured a bucket filled with fake blood and dismembered baby dolls onto the street as police arrested 83 people, including American Indian Movement activist Russell Means.
At least 10 of those arrested face resisting arrest charges, while most face charges of blocking a parade route and/or interfering with a peaceful assembly, Denver Police spokesman Sonny Jackson said. The parade through downtown Denver was delayed about an hour.
George Vendegnia, one of the organizers of the parade, said the protest and delay was planned for and caused minimal disruption.
"With this protest, it's just motivating people more to be back next year and exercise their right to participate in an American holiday," Vendegnia said.
No serious injuries were reported to either protesters or police.
Among those seen being led away in handcuffs was Glenn Morris, an associate professor of political science at the University of Colorado and one of the organizers of the All Nations/Four Directions March, a march in protest of the parade.
Denver's parade, which was started in 1907, has a troubled history of arrests and confrontations between Columbus supporters and detractors. Protesters have called him a slave trader who touched off centuries of genocide and oppression against native people. Supporters say he was a brave explorer who opened a new world and the parade is an American holiday to be celebrated.
Colorado is credited with being the first to make Columbus Day a state holiday, which later became a federal holiday. The parade is touted as being one of the first in honor of Columbus.
Morris and other organizers earlier this week said they were angered with last year's use of re-enactors of a 19th century U.S. Army Cavalry unit to carry the flag before the start of the parade. They likened the use of the soldiers, who wore uniforms similar to those used during the Indian Wars of the late 1800s, to nooses used to intimate black students in the central Louisiana town of Jena.
A message left for Morris was not immediately returned.
Vendegnia said the re-enactors did not participate this year because of a scheduling conflict.
Bookmarks