Activists Slam DNC Arrest Facility

Compare Denver Warehouse Outfitted For Holding Convention Protestors To A "Gulag"

(CBS/AP)  The secret is out and for activists planning to protest at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, they are none too happy.

Authorities have set up a temporary jail facility to house those arrested during the convention - a city-owned warehouse on Denver's northeast side.

The jail is filled with chain-link cells that measure about five feet by five feet and have razor wire surrounding the top openings.

CBS Station KCNC made an unannounced visit to the temporary jail earlier this week. Their tape showed one sign on a wall reading, "Warning: Electric stun devices used in this facility."

Groups planning marches, concerts and other events during the Aug. 25-28 convention dub the center "Gitmo on the Platte," for the nearby South Platte River.

"Very reminiscent of a political prisoner camp or a concentration camp," was how Code Pink's Zoe Williams described the facility to KCNC correspondent Rock Sallinger.

On Friday a small group of people showed up outside the warehouse with signs complaining about the jail and how they compare it with history.

One sign called it a gulag.

The Denver sheriff's office, which operates city and county jails, insists anyone taken to the center will be there only a few hours while they're fingerprinted, issued a court date and released after posting bail. Others will be transferred to facilities designed for longer detentions.

"Of course if the numbers are overwhelming, that's all going to be out the door," said Capt. Frank Gale, a sheriff's spokesman. "If we're inundated with a bunch of civil unrest, it doesn't matter how well we prepare. If we get severe numbers it's going to take us forever" to process those in custody.

Lindy Eichenbaum Lent, senior advisor to Mayor John Hickenlooper, said the warehouse was formerly used to store election equipment and construction was still underway to convert it to a processing center. She said the center was an effort to allay fears that those arrested would spend several unnecessary hours waiting to be processed.

Hickenlooper's office said police will ask people to voluntarily comply with their orders before arresting anyone. "The city does not anticipate the need for widespread arrests," the mayor's office statement said. But it noted "the intention of some organizations to deliberately get arrested."

The American Civil Liberties Union and the People's Law Project have been talking with the city about giving attorneys access to detainees. The city said attorneys can meet clients in court, not at the facility.

ACLU-Colorado legal director Mark Silverstein said city officials told him detained protesters will be taken by bus to the facility, about two miles northeast of downtown. Those who are unable or refuse to post bail will be taken to a downtown city jail to await a court date.

Silverstein said warehouse cells won't have running water, bathrooms or telephones. Gale said deputies will escort anyone needing those services.

"It's just ridiculous, the thing looks like a dog pound," said Mark Cohen of the protest group Recreate-68 Alliance. "Even if you only put dogs in there, people will be complaining about it. I think you ought to have the Red Cross and Amnesty International come take a look at this thing."

[usclimey]

How come Thrush Limpbone''s piggy little face isn''t already there decorating barbed wire. He''s the only person I know of actively inciting riots at the DNC.

[actornaught]

You stupid Idiot if you read the artical you will find that it is the Democrats who erected the jail. ...
Posted by dmw1167 at 09:28 PM : Aug 17, 2008

??? If YOU read the ARTICLE, you''ll clearly see this is a facility built entirely by the Denver POLICE, and NOT the Dems. How''d you get passed the IQ patrol?

So what''s wrong with you "law&order" wonks? Lose your bearings? Have you forgotten the concept of Civil Disobedience sometimes means INTENTIONALLY getting yourself arrested? Of course you have, you''re too busy be jerks...

[tootall10142]

Chimpanzee sh--t ball fight escalates into primate revolution.Obama and Mccain hold steadfast on the forefront of a new society.New lies and casulty count with film at elemm oclock.

[tootall10142]

Oh mommy look they have a petting zoo this year!

[jraf766]

Our constitution, you can forget it about it, they have overstepped every single thing in the Bill of Rights.

[jraf766]

Looks like we are headed towards martial law.
You can no longer voice your opinion, you will be arrested.

[actornaught]

Since limbaugh has made the call to riot at this convention, hopefully he''ll be extridited to Denver for encitement. Whatever goofiness is in this clip, it still has rush stating his dream of having riots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLuZp2JJ9BI&feature=related

[tngreen]

I never cease to be amazed at the uninformed comments posted on public forums. I refer to the comments that only lawbreakers will be confined in this pen. Have any of you ever participated in a national-level protest? Plenty of law-abiding people exercising their constitutional right to free speech get injured by the police--and not in the name of preventing crime. The police get all jumped up on adrenaline at these things and lose all sense of proportion. My daughter and I almost got trampled by horses (mounted police) in DC. A friend got his wrist broken at the Republican convention protest in NYC, stuffed into a hot, overcrowded paddy wagon, and held in a facility worse than the one in the photograph above with no bathroom facility for days. Police are given carte blanche to go crazy at these events, and they take full advantage of it. So much for living in a free country--we live in a military state, and most of you haven''t even noticed.

[whitemale08]

I think the new "holding" facilities are great!

You have to think ahead and not allow these PUMA types to run around loose; they can hurt somebody.

[yongamerica]

Remember the family values politicos into the mens room have a wide stance.

[babooph]

When the "journalists" follow the family values politicos into the mens room at these conventions-will it be for reporting,or to get in on the action?

At least they learned something from Chicago''s 1972 gestapo tactics. They removed the glass. Looks like the Chinese taught them something as well. Love the wire. Is that a non-smoking facility? Maybe the protestors will deposit something (no restroom facilities provided) as a souvenier for future workers in that building. History could refer to it as the Denver Democratic Dump, subtitled The Return of 3-D.

[libsluv2spit]

So,is our democracy truely lost? Now the dems are behaving like the party of Bush. This is inexcusable!

Posted by HAKORI at 08:44 AM : Aug 17, 2008
+ report abuse

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the differene here s bush is detaining TERRORISTS..the liberal democrats will be detaining AMERICAN CITIZENS..

goes to show who is more improtant for these liberals


I can see cindy sheehan and her code pink ladies'' face now when the DNC haul thier arses to ''gitmo''

HAR HAR

[libsluv2spit]

You are no longer free. Get used to it.

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 09:44 AM : Aug 17, 2008
+ report abuse

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LIBERAL DEMOCRATS WILL PROTECT YOUR FREEDOM EVEN IF IT MEANS TAKING IT AWAY...

[actornaught]

I like the part about those guys running in pointy hoods they can''t see out of, then tripping on their long skirts...

[dowjones20k]

One has to wonder how some folks interpret the constitution as a right to anarchy ...

There are laws on the books for demonstrating and how to implement acceptable civil disobedience ..

If anyone doubts the destructive capabilites of some of these radical groups .. then take a look at the WTO conferences and all the garbage that goes on there ...

Yes, ... any single one of us can certainly demonstrate with placards and group cohesiveness ..

The problem now is that we have some who refuse to do it in a civilized/respectful manner ...

Looking for big disturbances to get some publicity ... and at any cost ... including infringing on the rights of citizens and cities in order to create anarchy ...

So for those of you who cry invasion on your "civil rights" ... look at the statement in itself . .. if one does it civilly .. the one does not have to worry about getting thrown into the cage in the first place ...

We have a society here and we are indeed supposed to be a society of laws ... all enforced equally with unbiased execution ...

If one cant get past the law part of it .. then maybe your intent is criminal in the first place ...

[ioweign]

Again, I''''m sure the nice citizens of Denver are really thrilled at having to to build this facility to the tune of several million, just because the democrats have become so divisive that they''''re expecting huge protests at their convention. What a nightmare!

Don''''t be surprised is Denver files for bankruptcy shortly thereafter. lol

Posted by WellHell3 at 10:04 AM : Aug 17, 2008

#####
Doesn''t sound like it from the article - try reading for once Rowdy and get past the My Pet Goat stage...

Lindy Eichenbaum Lent, senior advisor to Mayor John Hickenlooper, said the warehouse was formerly used to store election equipment and construction was still underway to convert it to a processing center. She said the center was an effort to allay fears that those arrested would spend several unnecessary hours waiting to be processed.

[actornaught]

Posted by WellHell3 at 10:04 AM : Aug 17, 2008

You''re a raging hypocrite to lie about dems being divisive, when your boy rush is the leader of that parade, especially in regards to your own dishonesty.

And doubling your hypocrisy is that this is NOT about a political facility, it''s about a LAW and ORDER issue. But since when did you ''cons really care about that? Only when it''s your own Order, otherwise you''re all about chaos.

[wellhell3]

Again, I''m sure the nice citizens of Denver are really thrilled at having to to build this facility to the tune of several million, just because the democrats have become so divisive that they''re expecting huge protests at their convention. What a nightmare!

Don''t be surprised is Denver files for bankruptcy shortly thereafter. lol

[acarponzo]

That''s funny, I thought republicans lived in cages. For a morning chuckle, visit the realtime online poll at http://www.bop-o-rama.com. I wonder if they will arrest Paris if she tries to crsh the PARTEEE!