Posted on 05/01/2006 12:55:48 PM PDT by Crackingham
A massive crowd swarmed over the state Capitol grounds this afternoon for a peaceful rally that shut down the heart of the city and underscored the depth and passion of the immigrant rights movement. Denver Police Division Chief Steve Cooper said that by 12:30 p.m. the rally at the Capitol numbered about 75,000 strong. Once the marchers reached the Capitol, the lawn directly to the west was immediately flooded. And still, they kept coming. If the crowd estimate holds, today's rally for immigration reform would easily eclipse the 50,000 people who took part in a similar demonstration March 25.
The rally, coupled with calls for an economic boycott, left many businesses closed and schools with empty seats. Denver Public Schools spokesman Mark Stevens said Manual Arts and Cultural High School reported 98 percent absenteeism, while South High School's no-shows were about normal for the day. But Hill Middle School's attendance was down about 50 percent, Lake Middle School was missing 60 percent of its students, and at Kepner Middle School only 258 of its 1,043 students were on hand.
At the Capitol, Michelle Marruto held a sign saying, "Are We 2 Hot 4 The Melting Pot?" Angela Garcia, 21, said the issue is about human rights.
"You always hear about how they're taking our jobs or they're taking our money," she said. "That's not true. I think a lot of Mexican workers are exploited and exploitation is wrong."
As people crossed Broadway, a brown SUV sped by honking its horn — on its windows were the words "Illegals Pay Your Share." The car was loudly booed by demonstrators.
Mary Bailey, 35, said demonstrators should be addressing issues in Mexico.
"I think just because Mexico is on our border we shouldn't have an open-door policy."
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper walked out of the Webb Municipal Building as the crowd was growing in the park across the street.
"I wanted to see it and feel it," the mayor said.
He was joined by City Attorney Cole Finegan and a Denver police officer.
A young girl approached the mayor and asked him to sign her American flag. Hickenlooper did and told the girl, "Now you’re going to work twice as hard in school tomorrow, right?"
The governors of these states should have their national guard troops rounding these people up and checking for legal documents.
That about says it all, doesn't it? Why the HELL are here?!
The Mayor of Denver ought to ask the family of the murdered police officer how it looks and feels to have an illegal shoot your husband dead.
Why would it feel any different if it was done by a "legal"? There are plenty of Americans who have shot cops. Why single out immigrants?
Isn't writing you're dopey name on an American flag defacing it? This guy is a real piece of something.
What is this, a Mexican intifada?
Because the nation to our south won't refuse to extradite Americans who shoot cops and then flee to their shores. An illegal immigrant who does so, is protected to the maximum extent of Mexican law. Is that justice?
Is that enough reason to think the Mayor ought to be hiding in shame.
Several thousand people gathered at Memorial Park on Monday for a rally, but judging from the light traffic and number of businesses closed, many more people stayed at home.
Those at Memorial Park waved both Mexican and American flags, and some were registering to vote.
The cop killer fled to Mexico. They not only refused to extradite unless Colorado agreed not to seek the death penalty but Colorado also had to agree not to impose life in prison on this murdering scum.
Of course that is not justice. Murderers should get the death penalty, no matter what their nationality.
Precisely my point. I bet if you look carefully enough, you'd find instances where Americans who have fled to Mexico after committing murder were sent back on extradition requests. Mexicans, however, are bound by a different standard.
Has your mayor hired other people with criminal records?
The local mouth pieces are saying 15-25,000 in Sodom on the Sound's march today (Seattle).
Gotta go shopping a little later...
"I understand illegals are scared so they've decided to stay away from these protest rallies."
But I have been assured by many FReepers that legal immigrants don't approve of illegals so who is protesting?
Where is ICE? Huh?
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