Mayor Webb Warns Columbus Day Marchers (Denver, CO)

Rocky Mountain News ^ | October 12, 2002 | Kevin Flynn

[Tancred]

Mayor Wellington Webb called a hasty news conference Friday night to warn the two sides in today's Christopher Columbus marches to be peaceful or face a strong police reaction and prosecution.

Webb took the unusual step of gathering with Police Chief Gerald Whitman, District Attorney Bill Ritter and City Attorney J. Wallace Wortham at 9 p.m., less than 12 hours before the start time for the first march, to issue their pleas for civility.

The marches, sponsored by groups unalterably opposed to the other's views on Columbus and who have clashed in the past, are set to converge on the same area of downtown Denver today.

The Transform Columbus Day Alliance, which wants to abolish the holiday honoring the Italian navigator, has issued a nationwide call for protesters to join them.

"We just want to make sure everyone understands what the rules will be," Webb said outside police headquarters. "You respect the rights of both parties."

The officials declined to say if they have concerns about whether out-of-area protesters intend to disrupt the Columbus parade.

Alliance member Glenn Morris said his group doesn't expect trouble.

"We have always had allies who've come from different states and reservations," said Morris. "There is considerable interest in people showing their opposition to this parade."

The alliance, a coalition of Indian, Latino and other groups, are marching on the Colorado Capitol this morning.

Their permit allows them to remain until 7 p.m., said Morris, the American Indian Movement representative.

That puts them right at the mouth of the afternoon's Columbus Day Parade down 17th Street and ending at Veterans Park. The parade is sponsored by the Sons of Italy New Generation Lodge.

"We have been working with the police for two and a halfmonths," said George Vendegnia of the lodge.

He said he expects at least 5,000 people to attend.

"Sooner or later, the protests have to come to a stop," he said. "They can't take our rights from us."

Wortham, who pursued prosecution of 150 Columbus protesters two years ago before dropping charges amid an avalanche of court filings, said this time there won't be any such outcome.

"There will be no deals," said Wortham. "The city attorney's office has always vigorously defended the right of the people to peaceably assemble."

[Tancred]

Anyone in Colorado who can provide a little more detail on this? I'm getting tired of all this Columbus-bashing: it's these never-ending protests that weaken the civil society and balkanize a common American culture.

[ffrancone]

It's the usual PC nonsense from American Indians. Columbus was a bad guy. He didn't discover America, the Indians did (true, but so what). He committed genocide. Blah blah blah.

My dad's side of the family is Italian. So my brother marched in the parade last year. Lots of jostling and unpleasantness from the tolerant PC types.

And, Tom Tancredo marched in the parade too, last year. Hope to see him this year.

[coloradan]

A friend of mine is half Mexican and half Italian. He jokes about how confusing Columbus day is for him, because he doesn't know whether he should properly march or protest.