This 2 minute video shows how, on orders from Senator John McCain's security detail, Denver police ticketed a 61-year-old woman for trespassing and escorted her away. She was carrying a "McCain=Bush" sign and waiting in line to attend a so-called town hall meeting with McCain that was billed as open to the public.
This is very troubling. Sad that the sign was considered anti-McCain. Also sad that this woman was treated the way that she was. Seems to be an abuse of power at best :(
HT: Dave
Unbelievable! Isn't city property public property? Isn't that the point? This should be totally unacceptable in a country like ours!
ReplyDeleteTroubling, yes, because this is another occurance of the whole story NOT being told to the public, Bob. I don't care which party does this, it's dishonest to take bits and pieces of a story and twist them into a lie in order to fit a personal agenda. That said, I'm not blaming you, Bob. The media is picking and choosing what gets it the most ratings and stuff like this, whether truth or twisted, always catches the public attention.
ReplyDeleteThis is the rest of the story.
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_9811687
A 60-year-old librarian received a trespassing ticket today after a liberal group's protest outside a John McCain town hall meeting Monday.
Clutching a sign that read "McCain = Bush," Carol Kreck was removed from the atrium at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts by four Denver police officers.
Kreck, a former Denver Post reporter who works part-time as a librarian for an education think tank, said she was removed as she quizzed a police officer about whether he could deny her free speech "on city property" by taking away her sign, while McCain supporters wore buttons inside.
Jenny Schiavone, a spokeswoman for the performing arts center, said the venue is city-owned rental property, but is not legally defined as public property
The liberal group ProgressNowAction had called before the event and asked about being inside the atrium, she said. The group was told it would have to rent space or use previously designated protest areas along the street, Schiavone said.
Michael Huttner, who organized the rally, said Progress NowAction was not told to rent space or stand anywhere.
A Youtube video of Kreck's removal, posted by Progress NowAction, shows a performing arts center security officer asking Kreck to put down her sign, noting he had asked her and other protestors to do so earlier. In the same video, a police officer tells her she can attend the event if she gets rid of the sign.
A McCain spokesman said no one, including McCain supporters, were allowed to carry signs.
Detective John White, a spokesman for the Denver Police Department, said officers acted as they would for any complaint on private property.
"Our officers received a signed complaint from a security guard at a private event and acted accordingly," he said.
Tom Kise, a spokesman for the McCain campaign, did not know about Kreck's ouster, but said the town hall-style meeting was open to supporters and opponents.
"All the campaign asked for is a respectful dialogue," Kise said.
At a speech at the University of Denver in May, war protesters interrupted McCain four times until they were removed from the event.
So it looks like a case of one group's (Progress NowAction) word versus another as far as whether they knew they could protest in that particular location.
Thanks for the comment and the clarification CR. I still think that it is sad that the McCain=Bush sign is such a negative one for the McCain campaign.
ReplyDeleteHi Bob,
ReplyDeleteTruth be told, I am not happy with the entire political mess right now. I am fed up with people using sleazy tactics in order to get their way and I don't care whose campaign is guilty of it. It reminds me too much of the political science classes I took in college which effectively turned me off to the entire political process.
As for the McCain=Bush bunch, I wouldn't care about the ploy if it wasn't so overflowing with vitriol. At the rate it's going, it wouldn't be surprising to me to see McCain=Anti-Christ before long.
Interesting that for Obama's speech on Thursday this is posted on his website:
ReplyDeleteFor security reasons, do not bring bags. Please limit personal belongings. No signs or banners permitted.
I guess McCain wasn't out of line after all in not allowing that woman carry a sign into his meeting.