With only two weeks until the start of the Democratic National Convention, the various “autonomous” protest groups met yesterday to strategize. The Rocky report on the meeting focused on Tent State returning its protest permit to the city, thus allowing Recreate '68 to have an additional protest space in Civic Center Park during the Democratic National Convention. However, this throwaway line about plans of other groups shows that Recreate '68 will not be alone in lawbreaking.
The groups ranged from Code Pink, which hopes to disrupt traffic with random groups of cyclists and in-line skaters, to Food Not Bombs, which hopes to supply meals to the protesters on two days that week.
How nice of Code Pink to notify the Denver Police Department about their planned lawbreaking. Unfortunately, when groups like Code Pink broadcast their intent to break the law during the Democratic National Convention, the government will tighten laws. An example is Denver City Council's decision to ban many legal items because one could use them for nefarious purposes.
The ordinance makes it illegal to carry certain items, such as chains, padlocks, carabiners and other locking devices. It also prohibits the possession of noxious substances. Two of the most frequently used examples of a noxious substance are a bucket of urine and a "feces bomb."
This ordinance language bans any of the padlocks, chains, etc. in a container. Of course, the law requires "intent", but intent is a state of mind. How will the police determine intent on these objects? Will the lawful user have to prove to the police that he is innocent? Or, will the police sweep everyone up and sort out the pieces later?
The threats from the planned protest groups during the convention led directly to the government passing a poorly written, overly broad ban. This ordinance will be the longest-lasting legacy of the all the protestors coming to Denver.
by Civil Sense
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