tagged w/ Democratic National Convention
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If mass arrests happen at the Democratic Convention, those taken into custody will be jailed in a warehouse owned by the City of Denver. Investigator Rick Sallinger discovered the location and managed to get inside for a look.
The newly created lockup is on the northeast side of Denver. Protesters have already given this place a name: "Gitmo on the Platte."
Inside are dozens are metal cages. They are made out of chain link fence material and topped by rolls of barbed wire.
Welcome to 'Generation F'd'
If mass arrests happen at the Democratic Convention, those taken into custody will be... more
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According to Fox News:
Sources say former Secretary of State Colin Powell will endorse Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention, Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol told FOX News exclusively on Thursday.
“He may well give a speech at the Democratic convention explaining his endorsement of Obama,” Kristol said, citing inside sources.
“This is not an absolute done deal, but these people are very confident that Powell will endorse Obama,” Kristol said, adding that he thinks Powell still has “a high respect” for John McCain, Obama’s Republican rival...According to Fox News:
Sources say former Secretary of State Colin Powell will... more
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DENVER - CBS4 News has learned if mass arrests happen at the Democratic Convention, those taken into custody will be jailed in a warehouse owned by the City of Denver. Investigator Rick Sallinger discovered the location and managed to get inside for a look. The newly created lockup is on the northeast side of Denver.
Inside are dozens are metal cages. They are made out of chain link fence material and topped by rolls of barbed wire.
“This is a secured environment,” Capt. Frank Gale of the Denver Sheriff’s Department told CBS4. “We’re concerned about how that’s going to be utilized by people who will be potentially disruptive.”
In past conventions, mass arrests have taken place.
With Denver’s jails already overflowing, new space had to be created and officers trained.
Each of the fenced areas is about 5 yards by 5 yards and there is a lock on the door. A sign on the wall reads “Warning! Electric stun devices used in this facility.”
CBS4 showed its video to leaders of groups that plan to demonstrate during the convention.
“Very bare bones and very reminiscent of a political prisoner camp or a concentration camp,” said Zoe Williams of Code Pink.
Williams was one of those arrested at the Republican Convention in New York in 2004.
“That’s how you treat cattle,” said Adam Jung of the group Tent State University. “You showed the sign where it said stun gun in use and you just change the word gun for bolt and it’s a meat processing plant.”
Gale would not discuss the facility at this time.
“We want to make sure we got our game plan set,” he said, “We want to make sure the entire procedure is laid out all the personnel know what they are supposed to do.”
The plans were to keep this lockup a secret, at least for now.
The American Civil Liberties Union says it will ask the City of Denver how prisoners will get access to food and water, bathrooms, telephones, plus medical care, and if there will be a place to meet with attorneys.
The protesters have already given this place a name: “Gitmo on the Platte.”DENVER - CBS4 News has learned if mass arrests happen at the Democratic Convention,... more
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WASHINGTON — Federal and local authorities are girding for huge protests, mammoth traffic tie-ups and civil disturbances at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this month, fearing that the convention will become a magnet for militant protest groups.
Officials say that what makes Denver different than past conventions is the historic nature of Senator Barack Obama’s nomination, a megawattage event whose global spotlight could draw tens of thousands of demonstrators, including self-described anarchists who the police fear will infiltrate peaceful protest groups to disrupt the weeklong event.
The Secret Service is wary of discussing threats against the people they protect, but with Mr. Obama poised to become the first black presidential nominee, there are special worries. While law enforcement officials say there are no specific, credible threats against Mr. Obama, they expressed concern about low-level chatter on Web sites frequented by white separatists who spew hate about Mr. Obama’s race and what they perceive as his liberal agenda.
One recent scheduling change caused a major shift in security plans. When Mr. Obama announced last month that he would accept his party’s nomination not at the Pepsi Center in downtown Denver, where the convention is being held, but at Invesco Field, home of the Denver Broncos, the Secret Service scrambled to work out plans with local authorities to secure the open-air stadium, which seats more than 75,000 people. Invesco is also adjacent to Interstate 25, a major corridor through the Northern Rockies that will most likely be closed for at least part of Mr. Obama’s acceptance speech. . .
. . . “Because of the Internet, the ability of protesters to mobilize and share information has metastasized,” said Troy A. Eid, the United States attorney for Colorado. “That would be fine if it were peaceful, as we expect. But we have to plan accordingly.”
In recent days, domestic security officials issued a heightened awareness bulletin urging greater attention because of a number of factors, including the election and the conventions. But law enforcement authorities say they are trying to strike a balance between planning for every conceivable threat, including terrorist attacks and large public demonstrations, and not strangling a city’s commercial life in the process.
“We’re not looking to shut down an entire city,” said Malcolm Wiley, a Secret Service agent involved in security planning for the convention in Denver.
(go to link for full article)WASHINGTON — Federal and local authorities are girding for huge protests,... more
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Moopak
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Now that Barack Obama has clinched the Democratic nomination for president, he wants convention delegates from Florida and Michigan to have full voting rights at the party's national convention.Now that Barack Obama has clinched the Democratic nomination for president, he wants... more
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Colorado “Fusion Center” to step up intelligence gathering during DNC; US Northern Command to play role . Civil rights advocates fear the fusion center could enable unwarranted spying on protesters exercising their First Amendment rights at the convention.Colorado “Fusion Center” to step up intelligence gathering during DNC; US... more
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The U.S. Army and Colorado National Guard have announced intentions to reserve more than 500 hotel rooms for lodging during the Democratic National Convention, hinting at the number of military personnel that may be in Denver for the high-profile event that is expected to draw an estimated 50,000 protesters.
While the Democratic convention is being held on Aug 25-28, officials with the Colorado National Guard are seeking to reserve 438 rooms for Aug. 22-30 and 78 rooms for Aug. 18-30 according to award announcements published Friday on the Federal Business Opportunities Web site, a page run by the federal government for business contract solicitations.
The documents show that majority of guard personnel staying from Aug. 22-30 are set to lodge at Johnson & Wales University, located on 7150 Montview Blvd in far east Denver, while 32 rooms will be rented out for an unknown Extended Stay America location in Denver.
The U.S. Army and Colorado National Guard have announced intentions to reserve more... more
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Denver officials expect to spend more than $18 million on police equipment for the Democratic National Convention — but the purchases apparently won't include high-tech weapons that use sonic waves to incapacitate protesters or goo guns to immobilize them.
"This budget overview reaffirms to the public our goal to provide the most effective and comprehensive security possible while maintaining an event that is inclusive and enjoyable for all," Mayor John Hickenlooper said in a statement issued by his office.
Denver police officials have been extremely circumspect in answering questions about either their security plans for the convention or their equipment purchases.
Denver officials expect to spend more than $18 million on police equipment for the... more
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Well we know the Republicans are sponsored by big Oil and Now we know Ma Bell is the chief sponsor of our Democratic party... will the AT& T Jackass be next? All I Know is That Telecom legislation is sure to go in favor of the media giants and telecom companies.. Obama already voted for there immunity, you think he's gonna support net neutrality?? probably not if AT&T has anything to say.... Vote Nader!
This blogger has obtained an image of the very handsome welcome bag that every delegate and member of the media will receive upon arrival at the Democratic National Convention next month in Denver. Here is one side (in my view, the prettier side) of the bag:
article continues.. via link
Well we know the Republicans are sponsored by big Oil and Now we know Ma Bell is the... more
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Keeping everyone posted on news concerning the DNC from local news sources-
The Rocky Mountain News-
Free speech rights are personal to Denver criminal defense lawyer Sean McAllister.
During a protest in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, McAllister, 35, was serving as a legal observer.
"The police came out of nowhere and I was karate-chopped in the neck. I have been personally assaulted by the DPD (Denver Police Department)," McAllister said.
He is concerned that First Amendment rights could take a back seat during the Democratic National Convention. That's why McAllister said he helped found the DNC-People's Law Project and will be volunteering his time to help protesters during the convention. The People's Law Project held a training session Friday to focus on protecting civil rights and quickly springing protesters from jail during the convention.
Mayor John Hickenlooper has said that all police on the streets during the convention will have attended training classes to help them defuse violence.
Civil rights lawyer David Lane spoke during the training session where about 60 lawyers learned how they can help defend protesters who tangle with police.
Lane said police reaction to protesters will determine whether rallies are peaceful or violent.
Lane said he witnessed some restraint by Denver police at a recent Columbus Day parade.
But, he said, the brass will set the tone in August. "If police are ill-trained and ill-led, '68 may very well be recreated in Denver," Lane said referring to riots during the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago.
The People's Law Project will provide pro bono attorneys to help jailed protesters during the convention.
The group will also staff a hot line where protesters can call for help and will field teams of neutral legal observers who will attend rallies and videotape protesters' interaction with police.Keeping everyone posted on news concerning the DNC from local news sources-
The... more
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Keeping everyone posted on issues concerning the DNC from local news sources-
Rocky Mountain News-
Denver's selection of a spot for protesters to congregate during the Democratic National Convention has angered another group - the national media.
Some of the media tents to be erected on the Pepsi Center parking lot will be within a stone's throw of the area the city has designated for protesters.
Members of the media are concerned that loud demonstrations could disrupt broadcasts or that reporters and photographers could be doused with tear gas or pepper spray if there are confrontations between police and protesters.
Andrew Taylor, chair of the Standing Committee of Correspondents, said he is sending a letter to Mayor John Hickenlooper requesting that another site be designated for the demonstrators to congregate, away from the reporters.
The one-acre protest site on the southeast corner of the parking lot, near Seventh Street and Auraria Parkway, will only be about 40 feet south of one of the media tents, Taylor said. A second media tent will sit west of the protest site.
"The media is more sympathetic than virtually any other group for the need to have protesters, to give them a place to speak out," said Taylor, an Associated Press reporter. But then he added:
"We're just basically raising what are really the obvious issues; you're going to have thousands of protesters covering an acre, and it's going to be right next door to two tents, where the print and broadcast media are going to try to do their jobs," Taylor added.
Sue Cobb, the mayor's spokeswoman, acknowledged she spoke with Taylor but said she needed to do more research on the issue before she could comment.Keeping everyone posted on issues concerning the DNC from local news sources-
Rocky... more
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Keeping everyone posted on news concerning the DNC from local news sources-
The Denver Post-
Preparing the Pepsi Center for the Democratic National Convention from a technological standpoint has been underway for more than a year. Qwest and Level 3 Communications are the lead providers of phone, Internet and video services that will allow the Aug. 25-28 convention to be broadcast around the world. While the Pepsi Center already has the technology infrastructure in place to support the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche, more will be added to support the Democratic Party and the 15,000 members of the media in attendance. Here's a look at how the enhancements will be used to provide coverage of the event.
1 — On the floor: Convention speakers will have hundreds of cameras and lights on them. Still-camera and audio signals will be transmitted over a high-speed Internet connection provided by Denver-based Qwest. Video cameras, including the ones operated by the Democratic National Convention Committee, will be connected to Broomfield-based Level 3's network, which can transmit high-definition video streams over the Internet. Some reporters and bloggers will have desks set up on the convention floor to record the action as it happens. There will be phone and data lines at those desks, powered by Qwest. Television networks will broadcast from the floor of the Pepsi Center, with many networks taking over skyboxes, transforming them into mini TV studios. Delegates will cast their votes for the presidential nominee from the convention floor. A real-time tracking system developed by Microsoft will be used to tally the votes.
2 — Server room: Phone and data signals from the convention floor will travel to a server room, which is the nerve center of the convention's technology operations. The network inside the Pepsi Center will have enough capacity to run phone and Internet service to the equivalent of 220,000 homes, according to convention committee director of technology Brook Coangelo.
3 — Qwest trailers: From the nerve center, some signals will be routed outside through one of five Qwest trailers or mobile central offices. These trailers contain fiber-optic lines from Qwest's pre-existing underground fiber ring. Each of the main mobile trailers can provide 1,800 individual telephone lines and 480 Internet connections. Internet connections from the trailers can offer speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second. A 10- or 100-megabit Internet connection can be split among several users, depending on their needs.
4 — Media tents: Connections from the trailers will feed media tents and pavilions around the Pepsi Center. Phone and data signals sent from the Pepsi Center will be routed through the local fiber network and then out to a national network.
5 — Level 3 trailers: Level 3 will have three production trailers on site. All of the live video shot by the convention committee's cameras will be sent through Level 3's fiber network to the trailers, where the video will be monitored for quality before being sent over the long-haul fiber network. Convention watchers at home will be able to see the action on their home computers at www.demconvention.com. Networks such as CNN or NBC will have satellite uplinks for their video signals. If they want fiber-optic backup, they can order Level 3 services to distribute their video content to users watching on TV or the Web.
Keeping everyone posted on news concerning the DNC from local news sources-
The... more
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Hundreds of Denver's homeless could be cooling their heels in a movie theater or museum while the Democratic National Convention is in town next month.
The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless plans to get 500 movie tickets as well as passes to the Denver Zoo, Denver Museum of Nature and Science and other cultural facilities for the people it helps.
Bus tickets will be provided for events beyond walking distance, said John Parvensky, the non-profit's president.
Many shelters will expand their hours and receive televisions so that patrons can safely watch convention.
Homeless persons will also be giving the opportunity to register to vote while the DNC is in town so they will be eligible in November.
The funny thing is that voter registration for the homeless is just for show since without a local address or government ID, they will not be able to vote. Further after the movie and the visit to the zoo, they will still be homeless.
Complete story www.rockymountainnews.comHundreds of Denver's homeless could be cooling their heels in a movie theater or... more
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You are welcome here. Thats the message that Denver officals say they hope to convey to the homeless people at the Democratic National Convention. But in an effort to clean up the city around the convention center, The city plans to move all the homeless people and empty the park of the vagrants, city officals said.
Yet some Homeless advocates question the impetus behind all the meetings the city officals held in the past months leading up to the convention. Some advocates are being quoted as saying they have been offered money to go away during the event. Some say they have been offered tickets to attend movies during the event. Some say the have been offered voter registration for the democratic party.
The City of Denver has yet to decide what their final plan to do with the homeless society during the upcoming multimillion dollar event at this luxurious multimillion dollar convention center. "As someone said who works with the homeless people and people who depend on the services downtown, when I hear there is a big event that the media is excited about, my heart sinks because its not going to be good for the hungry people I work with". You are welcome here. Thats the message that Denver officals say they hope to convey... more
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A group under the name “Unconventional Action” has indicated that they plan to use violence as a means of protest at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, this coming August. An obvious offshoot of “Re-Create 68,” the group stated on it’s website the intention of using “militant action” in getting their message out.A group under the name “Unconventional Action” has indicated that they... more
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This August, during the final day of the Democratic National Convention, Presidential favorite Barack Obama will symbolically leave his scheduled place at the podium, routinely used to address the party's delegates, to deliver his official acceptance speech outside, in the open air, directly to the public.
Typically, Presidential nominees formally accept the nomination in the same setting we have all seen on TV - amid a sea of balloons, posters, and cheering fans. However, these "fans" are not the general public; they are primarily the delegates, political elites chosen to represent the fifty states, handpicked for their unwavering support of the party itself. This carefully scripted event rarely has many surprises, with speeches, agendas, platforms, and nominations all worked out months before.
I found a surprise waiting in my Gmail inbox today. This form letter, sent today to every registered member of my.BarackObama.com, proclaims that the candidate will break from tradition, and address his acceptance speech directly to the American public:
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[Name] -- Join Barack at the Open Convention
I wanted you to be the first to hear the news.
At the Democratic National Convention next month, we're going to kick off the general election with an event that opens up the political process the same way we've opened it up throughout this campaign.
Barack has made it clear that this is your convention, not his.
On Thursday, August 28th, he's scheduled to formally accept the Democratic nomination in a speech at the convention hall in front of the assembled delegates.
Instead, Barack will leave the convention hall and join more than 75,000 people for a huge, free, open-air event where he will deliver his acceptance speech to the American people.
It's going to be an amazing event, and Barack would like you to join him. Free tickets will become available as the date approaches, but we've reserved a special place for a few of the people who brought us this far and who continue to drive this campaign.
If you make a donation of $5 or more between now and midnight on July 31st, you could be one of 10 supporters chosen to fly to Denver and spend two days and nights at the convention, meet Barack backstage, and watch his acceptance speech in person. Each of the ten supporters who are selected will be able to bring one guest to join them.
Make a donation now and you could have a front row seat to history:
[Donation link edited out]
We'll follow up with more details on this and other convention activities as we get closer, but please take a moment and pass this note to someone you know who might like to be there.
It will be an event you'll never forget.
Thank you,
David
David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America
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After being turned away from the doors of the Democratic National Convention in 2004, (held in my home town of Boston, MA) I became frustrated with the message these conventions send, that only those who had financially supported the party were important enough to be addressed by the candidate himself. Whereas the majority of voters, in the past, have neither the political access nor the desire to spend multiple hundreds of dollars on a ticket to the convention, Obama's decision to hold his acceptance speech outside will allow tens of thousands more to hear the candidate in person, for free. While this exciting event is primarily a symbolic gesture, it is an extension of a message central to his campaign - to change the American political process which has become so profoundly routine.
I, for one, will be there.This August, during the final day of the Democratic National Convention, Presidential... more
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AVtime
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A new coalition of protest groups promises free concerts, art displays, classes for activists and a "massive" anti-war march during this summer's Democratic National Convention.
The Alliance for Real Democracy is made up of 12 groups, many led by activists in their early 20s and 30s.
Organizers said Tuesday their nonviolent events will urge an end to the war in Iraq and raise awareness of "the global climate crisis."
The alliance is open to people of all ages, but will especially target young people. It also plans to invite convention delegates to the events.
"This is as much a part of the process as going to a very formal convention," said Jojo Pease, an organizer with Students for a Democratic Society.
Some of the groups were previously affiliated with the Re-Create 68 Alliance, but split off after a disagreement over tactics.
Re-Create 68 has promised demonstrations that will rival those at the notorious Democratic convention in Chicago held in 1968, which was accompanied by street battles between police and anti-Vietnam War demonstrators.
Members of the Alliance for Real Democracy wouldn't talk Tuesday about Re-Create 68 or the split.
But they released bylaws that say the group "will not use or return violence - verbal or physical - toward any person or other creature," and will not damage property, bring weapons to protests or use illegal drugs or alcohol during events.
Re-Create 68, meanwhile, has said that if confronted with violence by police, members will defend themselves.
The Alliance for Real Democracy includes groups such as CODEPINK, the Green Party, Tent State University, the Denver International Socialist Organization and Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Members declined to say how many people they are expecting at their events, and some details - such as dates and locations of concerts - have not been finalized.
The anti-war parade is scheduled for the Sunday before the convention, which starts Aug. 25 and runs through Aug. 28 at the Pepsi Center in downtown Denver.
The concerts will include a guitarist who played in protest of the Vietnam War during the 1968 convention in Chicago, as well as a local hip-hop group, according to organizers.
Among other events planned is an "aerial image," in which thousands of people will use their bodies to form a message to release detainees at Guantanamo Bay and to stop torture, said Zoe Williams, a member of CODEPINK, an anti-war group whose name is a play on President Bush's color-coded terror alert level.
The lineup:
The Alliance for Real Democracy is planning free concerts during the Democratic National Convention. Among the featured artists:
* Wayne Kramer: His group, MC5 (Motor City 5) played an eight-hour concert in Chicago's Lincoln Park at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
* Flobots: Denver hip-hop group also has a nonprofit organization aimed at volunteerism and activism.
* The Coup: Self-described "funkateers" ran into controversy when an album cover, created three months before 9/11, depicted the band setting off an explosion in the World Trade Center. The label pulled the cover.
* Blue Scholars: The name is a play on "blue collar." Their music includes themes of youth empowerment and challenging authority.
Sara Burnett
Rocky Mountain NewsA new coalition of protest groups promises free concerts, art displays, classes for... more
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Denver police are stocking up on guns that fire a pepper spray-like substance instead of bullets - a less-lethal weapon used to disperse crowds - in advance of the Democratic National Convention.
The department recently ordered 88 Mark IV launchers and projectiles at a cost "in the low six figures," the company that makes the weapons stated in a news release Monday.
The request was for delivery in advance of the DNC, according to Louisville- based Security With Advanced Technology Inc.
The convention, scheduled for Aug. 25 to 28 at the Pepsi Center, is expected to draw thousands of protesters to sites throughout Denver.
The city received a $50 million federal grant for security. A senior adviser to Mayor John Hickenlooper has said the city plans to spend up to half that amount on equipment, with the rest going to pay officers.
But the city has refused to disclose how it is spending the money, prompting the American Civil Liberties Union last month to file a civil lawsuit.
The court filing alleges the city is violating the Colorado Open Records Act.
City officials say releasing the information is "contrary to the public interest" because it could disclose important tactical information, potentially jeopardizing security.
A city spokesperson could not be reached for comment Monday. Meanwhile, speculation about what the city is buying has run rampant.
Some organizers of protest groups believe police are buying extended-range Tasers and weapons that incapacitate people with high-intensity sound.
The Mark IV weapons the city ordered recently fire plastic balls filled with powder that's "like a combination of cayenne pepper and baby powder," the manufacturer said.
It can be fired from up to 100 feet away, said Ben Cook, director of Veritas, a subsidiary of Security With Advanced Technology.
The balls burst open on impact. While the powder will incapacitate a person like pepper spray, it doesn't cause some of the more severe reactions, Cook said.
-Sara Burnett
Rocky Mountain NewsDenver police are stocking up on guns that fire a pepper spray-like substance instead... more
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