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Columbus Day prompts fear of violence in Denver |
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October 7, 2000
DENVER, OCT 6 (AP) - Denver's first Columbus Day parade in nearly a decade has stirred fears of violence this weekend between Italian-Americans on one side and Hispanics and American Indians on the other. The city hasn't held the parade since 1991 due to concerns that groups who believe Christopher Columbus was a killer and slave trader would clash with marchers. This year, under a federally mediated pact, Denver's Italian community had agreed to call Saturday's celebration an Italian Pride parade and make no mention of Columbus. But that pact collapsed. Parade organizers and members of the American Indian Movement have pledged to be peaceful, and both sides met with Denver ministers Thursday. They agreed not to discuss what was said; another meeting was planned Friday. Parade organizer C.M. Mangiaracina said the parade will go forward and the protesters "can choke on it." "My boys of Italian descent are going to be heard in this city," he said Thursday. "They are not going to do this to us anymore." AIM spokesman Vernon Bellecourt, who is based in Minneapolis, said the organization has called for civil disobedience against groups and governments that celebrate Columbus. "If the German-Americans were to honor Adolf Hitler with festivities and parades and march through Jewish communities, nobody would tolerate that," he said. "We, as Indian communities, are supposed to put up with honoring Columbus?" Some communities have dropped plans to put their fire trucks in the parade for fear the vehicles might get damaged and firefighters might get hurt. Mayor Wellington Webb has pleaded for calm, and the governor pledged state help to maintain the peace. "I understand protest and issues of social justice," Webb said. "I also understand that these are highly emotional issues for both sides. But we need to seek some common ground." Denver's Columbus Day parades have been tumultuous. In 1989, AIM's Russell Means and three others were arrested after they threw fake blood on a Columbus statue. The next year, protesters shouted anti-Columbus slogans as the parade went through downtown. In 1992, fears of violent protests by AIM members prompted organizers to cancel the event minutes before it was to start. George Vendegnia, founder of the Sons of Italy/New Generation, said city officials discouraged his group from seeking parade permits in the ensuing years, but the organization decided to apply this year after new people were put in top city jobs. The pact negotiated by the Justice Department called for a parade without any mention of Columbus, with Indian and Hispanic groups agreeing not to protest. But the deal fell apart as Italian-Americans vowed to keep Columbus' name in the event and activists promised to show up. Glenn Morris, who negotiated the pact with the support of AIM, called it "just another broken treaty" between whites and Indians. Keith Bridges, 37, of Denver said he supports the Italians. "I think both sides are within their constitutional rights. I think it is unreasonable for the Indians to think that the Italians should cancel their parade," he said. --- On the Net: Italian-American links: http://www.italianclubs.com/national.htm AIM: http://www.aimovement.org
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