About 65 people showed up Saturday to protest a ride celebrating the Confederate flag, but they found themselves protesting the concept and not the riders after the ride’s start location was changed late Friday night after public outcry.
“Ladies and gentlemen, as we have received quite a surprising amount of intolerance and threats for expressing our opinions, we will be changing the course, as well as the starting point, of our ride,” said Thomas Apperson in a Facebook post on the Rocky Mountain Confederate Conservation website.
“RSVP through our Facebook account for location update! Once again, we will only accept on our ride those that who use our symbol as support for History, and NOT those that would us (sic) our symbol for hatred or ignorance. If the latter is you, you are not welcome on our ride. Also, if you agree with the northern victory, this does not mean you are unwelcome. Come fly your flag with us in harmony.”
The ride, organized by the conservation group, was announced earlier this week. It was held in honor of Confederate Flag Day, which occurred Friday.
The protesters, who gathered at the La Plata County Fairgrounds – the originally designated starting place – didn’t see flying the Confederate flag as a support for history. Ranging in age from 4 to 92, some had been protesting for social-justice causes since the 1960s, and many others were attending their first protest rally. They carried signs such as: “Symbols of Racism Belong in History Museums,” “We won’t be bystanders to bigotry,” “Hate speech ≠ Free Speech” and “Should we carry a (symbol of) swastika too?”
Lastani Young, 7, the daughter of Clay and Shirena Trujillo Long, discussed the content of her sign with her father. They came up with “Don’t Hate, Appreciate.” Her legs were getting tired, she said, but she was glad she came.
“This is my first protest,” said Fort Lewis College sophomore Allen Tieme, holding a sign on one of the four occupied street corners on Main Avenue at the fairgrounds. “It made me sick to my stomach when I heard about the ride. I don’t want to perpetuate hate, and silence would do that.”
La Plata County Sheriff’s Office deputies were on hand, including Sheriff Sean Smith, along with several officers from the Durango Police Department. They had installed crowd-control barriers, with areas designated for the flag riders and the protestors.
“They did a similar (flag) ride on Jan. 17 for the Robert E. Lee Memorial Ride, and no one noticed,” Smith said. “All the publicity this time got people interested. We set up the barriers so there could be a civil exchange of ideas if it got to that point.”
The situation was complicated by other activities taking place at the fairgrounds at the same time, such as a 4-H Rabbit Camp attended by about 40 young people and a horse-jumping competition in the arena, he said. The decision was made to take some precautions to keep different groups separated.
“The Department of Justice Community Relations Office in Denver called me yesterday (Friday) after they heard about it,” Smith said. “They wanted contact information for both groups so they could send literature about peaceful protests.”
One young protester wore a black bandana bandit-style and declined to give his name.
“I’m here to help counter repression,” he said, “There’s a strong police presence here, and I’m trying to protect my anonymity as much as possible.”
Tieme was one of several FLC students and professors who said the turnout would have been higher if the protest rally were not being held on the first day of the college’s spring break.
Tuck and Robin Miller drove all the way from Chama, New Mexico, after a friend posted information on Facebook about the protest.
“We stopped in Pagosa (Springs), but there was nothing going on,” he said. “We decided we had to come because silence is not the answer.”
abutler@durangoherald.com
