Privatizing the Freedom Cage?

September 9th, 2008 Jim Banks Posted in Audio, Demonstrations |

The Denver Police Department released a 7 page budget document on Friday, outlining the costs of policing the Democratic National Convention. Included in the budget was more than $10 million to pay for officers from other jurisdictions, $111,000 for riot gear turtle suits and over $650,000 for ballistic helmets. Jim Banks followed the protests on the streets of Denver and at the Freedom Cage during the DNC. He found the Freedom Cage to be virtually empty most days, as protesters were kept out of sight of delegates attending the convention, so most decided to stay away.

As the Democratic National Convention drew to a close Jim Banks hatched a plan to help the city of Denver pay for the money it spent policing the empty Freedom Cage.