DNC: Protesters heard but mostly out of sight

In the moment, it was difficult to tell who was louder: the anarchist with the megaphone or the 9/11 truth seeker with the booming voice.

Nick Brown, with the Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist Movement-Denver, conceded the volume victory to Alex Jones after Jones walked away from the exchange, which was a side show of the side show of the Recreate ‘68 protesters' day of exposing human rights injustices in the United States.

"He definitely has his talking points," said Brown, who calls Jones a "white populist" and accuses him of spreading a rumor that RAIM planned to throw human excrement at police this week. "I think I exposed some things."

It was one of few heated exchanges seen in downtown Denver on Monday, a different picture from the day before when police spent the day stopping anti-war protesters from blocking roads.

Missing was the large-scale chaos predicted in the weeks leading up to the convention.

The droves expected to rally with Recreate ‘68 turned out to be in the hundreds. Pockets of other protesters, from John McCain supporters to anti-abortion groups, engaged Democratic delegates and convention spectators, but there wasn't much in the way of fireworks.

On the lawn outside the federal courthouse, where ‘68 members marched from Civic Center Park across from the state Capitol, speakers detailed the injustices they say the United States government has committed against prisoners and indigenous people. Former University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill was there, cigarette in hand.

"How can you stand there with your guns aimed at us, waiting to arrest us, when you know (expletive) well Bush is a criminal who needs to be arrested," said speaker Pam Africa, of Philadelphia's MOVE organization turning to the 20 riot-gear clad police officers standing on the sidelines.

"They must be pointed out for the traitors that they are to their own families."

Though police showed no reaction, Africa's profanity drew wild applause from the small crowd. One speaker attributed the small numbers not to the heavy police presence - groups of police could be seen on most street corners downtown - but to the day's subject matter.

"I think people can deal with stuff overseas," said Natsu Saito, referring to Sunday's anti-war protests. "When it starts to come here and it starts to come home, it makes people uncomfortable."

Earlier, a small group of protesters marched to the demonstration zone outside the Pepsi Center, where the convention will be held, complaining they are being treated like political prisoners.

It was the first time members of the Recreate 68 Alliance had visited the fenced-off zone, and they vowed not to return because they oppose the limits on where they can demonstrate.

Protesters derisively call the 47,000-square foot zone the "Freedom Cage." It's separated from the parking lot around the convention hall by metal fences atop concrete barriers.

They complained it is about 700 feet from the Pepsi Center entrance. Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley said the entrance is 770 feet from the demonstration zone, but the distance is irrelevant because protesters will be within sight and sound of the delegates, which is required by law.

The city, which won a federal lawsuit challenging the demonstration zone and other security measures, has emphasized that a pathway delegates can take to the area is about 200 feet from the fenced-in area. Sue Cobb, Mayor John Hickenlooper's spokeswoman, said delegates could get within eight feet of protesters in the area.

"We're being treated by the city of Denver and the Secret Service like political prisoners, like pariahs," said Recreate 68 organizer Mark Cohen.

Holly Heiman, 40, of Green Mountain Falls, was among those who walked from the pedestrian mall to the demonstration zone. She said she wanted to show her opposition to what she believes is an oppressive government that won't change no matter who is elected.

"It's kind of shocking there aren't more people" protesting, Heiman said.

A signup sheet for speakers at the protest zone had a number of fake signatures and comments such as, "J. Stalin - This is awesome" and "G. Washington - You can't cage freedom."

On the corner of 16th Street and Champa, police in riot gear guarded an exchange between members of the Official Street Preachers and their challengers.

A man wearing a sandwich board covered in scripture was overheard defending Christianity to a young man questioning the religion's "reality."

A group of John McCain supporters gathered outside the Convention Center got a few chuckles from convention-goers as they chanted, "Drill here! Drill now!"

One McCain supporter, who said his peers at College Republicans forbid him from giving his name to the media, said Democratic delegates "have been really nice." "They understand it is all about an open dialogue," he said just after one Democrat chanted "Bush's third term! Bush's third term" at his group.
Less friendly, the Republican said, have been the "leftist protesters," such as those from the feminist anti-war group Code Pink.

Also outside the convention center, anti-abortion protesters with a large picture of an aborted fetus faced off against a religious abortion-rights group.

Though there were reports of police clashing with protesters Monday, law enforcement was seen much of the day standing on the sidelines, answering questions, observing and even listening to protesters who engaged them.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.