Marching behind a police vehicle that flashed the words "Follow
Us. Welcome to Denver." on an electronic sign, at least 3,000
Iraq war veterans and anti-war protesters made their way through downtown
Denver on Wednesday during the largest demonstration of the Democratic
National Convention to date.
Though the event, co-sponsored by the anti-war group Tent State University
and Iraq Veterans Against the War, was unpermitted, the parade proceeded
peacefully.
It began at the Denver Coliseum and ended at the Pepsi Center perimeter about three hours later. There, veterans attempted to contact aides of presidential candidate Barack Obama to deliver a statement urging Obama to endorse the idea of an immediate withdrawal of "all occupying forces" from Iraq among other positions.
The letter also upbraided the Democratic Party for their "initial and continued" support for the war.
After an hourlong standoff, during which tensions between veterans and police escalated, a meeting with an Obama aide was arranged, and the crowd dispersed.
