Protest Groups Picket At 'Gitmo On The Platte' (anger at the Denver jail?)

CBS 4 Denver ^ | 8/17/08 | Rick Sallinger

[Libloather]

Protest Groups Picket At 'Gitmo On The Platte'
Written By Rick Sallinger
Aug 17, 2008 2:18 pm US/Mountain

DENVER (CBS4); Convention protest groups aren't happy with what they call a "clandestine" detention center. It's a warehouse filled with makeshift jail cells to be used if there are mass arrests during the Democratic National Convention.

Protesters gathered at the site Friday. They think the conditions will be inhumane. They say the warehouse wasn't even fit for the voting machines it once housed. But the sheriff's department says the facility will actually speed up the time many of those arrested will have to spend in custody should laws be violated at the convention.

Since its existence was revealed protesters have likened the facility to a prison camp.

"We don't need another Gulag or Stalag or prison or whatever you want to call it," protester Larry Hales said.

The city and county says it is not a detention center. It is only to speed up the processing of those who are arrested during the convention.

"We don't anticipate large numbers of arrests, we think we are going to have a wonderful convention here," Bill Lovingier with the Denver Sheriff's Department said. "We would be remiss if we didn't plan for larger than normal arrests. That's what this site does."

Earlier this week CBS4 showed the warehouse has been converted into a series of cells topped with razor wire. There's a sign that warns of the presence of stun guns.

"We don't need those threats already. We are already going to be put inside of cages for doing nothing more than exercising our constitutional rights," Glenn Spagnuolo with the protest group Recreate '68 said.

"Typically you would have participants from both sides that would be arrested," Lovingier said about the razor wire. "We have an obligation to keep them safe. So we don't want people climbing fences and assaulting each other."

Air conditioners now stand outside. Water, bathrooms, medical staff and phones will be available. The city says no one should be there more than a few hours.

Those arrested will be taken to the facility and processed. If they make bond they'll be released at the Denver County Jail. If not, they'll be housed there or in a neighboring county while they await their appearance in court.

Mayor's Office News Release

Mayor John Hickenlooper's office sent a news release to CBS4 and other media explaining the purpose of the holding facility. It says there will be a community outreach program this week to explain the facility's function.

[Libloather]

It says there will be a community outreach program this week to explain the facility's function.

'Gitmo On The Platte' IS a community outreach program - no?

[robomatik]

the same larry hales of f.i.s.t. (fighting imperialism standing together)?

larry hale

At a Dec. 3 Denver news conference, more than 60 supporters of Fight Imperialism, Stand Together (FIST) organizers Larry Hales and Melissa Kleinman gathered in front of the Denver Police Station at night despite cold winds to protest the brutal beating, terror and arrest of Hales, who is African American, after police broke into their home Nov. 30.

Shareef Aleem, a Black Denver activist who was himself a victim of police brutality and helped organize the news conference, said, “In the last couple of years many of us involved in police accountability work have been attacked by the police and we know that when it happens we all have to stand up.”

Aleem noted that part of the motivation for this latest act of police brutality was to begin the process of neutralizing activists like Hales who will be involved in helping to organize the Democratic National Convention protests.

Hales also noted that the attack was aimed at both his activism around police brutality and the fact that he was helping a Black youth on parole who had filed a civil case against the Denver police. At the time of the Nov. 30 police raid that parolee was living at the home of Hales and Kleinman

[null and void]

“We don’t anticipate large numbers of arrests, we think we are going to have a wonderful convention here,”

I think that is the dictionary definition of whistling past the graveyard...

[Liberty2007]

I am getting the popcorn! Man I’d love to see the dirt hippies get a beatdown from the own party. I do have to hand it to them, they are not pleased with the outcome of the primary they plan to do something while the conservatives have decided to roll over and accept mccain.

[SaxxonWoods]

“We don’t need those threats already. We are already going to be put inside of cages for doing nothing more than exercising our constitutional rights,” Glenn Spagnuolo with the protest group Recreate ‘68 said.”
-

What a wuss. I say we waterboard him.

[llandres]

If they’d all behave, this wouldn’t even be an issue. Don’t think this will even arise during the Republican convention, despite the fact that Ron Paul’s people are having a 3-day “rally” at the same time in the same city (St. Paul).

Interesting in the quality (and mentality) of people, isn’t it??

Libs are really ANGRY folks :-)))

[SunkenCiv]

Activists Slam DNC Arrest Facility (Moonbat whine alert)
CBSNEWS.com | Aug. 16, 2008
Posted on 08/17/2008 12:51:41 PM PDT by PROCON
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2063380/posts

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping.