By Christine Reid
Camera Staff Writer

After first getting the cold shoulder, demonstrators from the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center were given a warm welcome Thursday night by U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, D-Colo., during a town meeting he held in Boulder at the National Institute for Standards and Technology.

The representative for the 2nd Congressional District, which includes Boulder, told the audience of more than a hundred people that speaking out against the government is "the most patriotic thing you can do."

Before the meeting began, however, about 20 Peace and Justice members were told they couldn't demonstrate on the federal property. They had gathered to hold signs and hand out leaflets urging Udall to speak up against waging war on Iraq and against blaming Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for the Middle East crises.

"They told us if we handed out fliers we would be arrested," said Carolyn Bninski. "That's a dangerous precedent to set at a town meeting with a Congress member."

As demonstrators pulled up to the federal building on Broadway, they were directed by armed federal agents to park separately from others attending the meeting.

Peace and Justice members said they were told they couldn't hold up signs or make loud noises under orders from the director of NIST. Any fliers that could be passed out would have to first be approved by Udall's office, one member said he was told.

"I took offense," said Chris Friedman. "This really surprised everyone here."

The group, which eventually made its way to the public sidewalk in front of the building to stage its demonstration, was told that stricter security has been universal at all federal installations since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"Handing out fliers — is that a dangerous terrorist activity?" Bninski asked.

Once the meeting began, the demonstrators' problem was pointed out to Udall. He said he was unaware of any policy not allowing demonstrators on federal property.

"We have to remind ourselves over and over again what free speech is," he said before urging members of the group to pass out the fliers to audience members. The gesture was met with applause and cheers.

"Give me one first," Udall said.

Contact reporter Christine Reid at (303) 473-1355 or reidc@thedailycamera.com.

May 31, 2002

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