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December 10, 2005
Feds Route Around ID Challenge
Identity activists held a rally on the steps of Federal Courthouse in Denver yesterday at the same time the federal government had planned to arraign Deborah Davis - the woman who refused to show her ID on a Denver public bus trensiting the Federal Center. The federal government had dropped charges in the case the day before. The reason they put forward for dropping the charges was that the ID requirement was inadequately posted. During the rally, Davis' attorney and lawyers from the ACLU also addressed the crowd.
After a brief speach by Davis at the courthouse, she boarded a private bus along with a group of reporters. They drove out to the Denver Federal Center and boarded same the Route 100 bus she had been arrested on last month.
When the bus pulled up to the security kiosk, federal agents were prepared this time. About five weapon toting federal police agents milled around outside the bus, searched underneath the bus, and placed a traffic cone behind the bus. Agents then drove up in a Ford Explorer with tinted windows, conferred with the officials from the Denver Regional Transit District and executed their plan.
The RTD had another public bus warmed up and ready. They asked the other passengers on the bus who was willing to show ID and they removed those people from the bus Deborah Davis and the reporters were on - and placed them on the waiting bus. They then drove Davis and the reporters around the permeter of the federal center.
Officials resolved the immediate situtuation, but did not address the controversy. Deborah Davis says she will continue to try to ride the Route 100 bus without showing ID. Will the city of Denver continue to try to provide Davis her own private bus at taxpayer expense? Those who rode the bus with Davis say they did not see any new signs announcing an ID requirment.
Federal agents are attempting to avoid confrontation and continue to enforce their ID rules for buses that pass through the Federal Center. You still have to show and ID to ride a public bus in Denver. Nothing has changed. Is there anyone else out there in Denver who cares enough about civil liberties to ride the Route 100 bus without showing ID?
Posted by ann at December 10, 2005 07:47 PM
Comments
This was in the Rocky Mountain News on 12/10/05, regarding Deb's attempted "Victory Ride" through the DFC on Friday, 12/9:
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Three lawyers followed in private cars, dubbed "rightsmobiles," ready to rush into the Federal Center - after showing their IDs - if Davis got arrested.
(Now there's a strong show of support. Not one lawyer was willing to join Davis on the bus and commit civil disobedience, but they're right behind Deb if she does!)
"I'm Jack McDonald," announced one officer. "Is there anyone on this bus right now who's willing to show ID?"
The journalists were willing. The five regular commuters were willing. Davis wasn't willing.
(Like the lawyers, the press isn't willing to put their money where their mouths are either!)
"If you're not going to show an ID, you're not going to be allowed on the Federal Center," Kinney (a rep from the RTD) announced.
RTD had a spare bus on hand to which it transferred the five regular commuters.
One of them was Tara Futch, who was on her way through the Federal Center to her job at Taco Bell. She said she rides the bus often and frequently forgets her ID, but always has been allowed to stay on through the Federal Center as long as she doesn't get off there.
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Tara had better have her ID from now on. Thanks to Deb, she can say goodbye to that lapse in protocol. The Feds will need to evenly enforce the rule if they expect it to withstand a legal challenge. Davis' actions will only lead to a tightening of the rule
So, to summarize: the number of supporters for Davis who have been willing to stand up against the ID rule in Denver so far: Lawyers - zero, press - zero, regular bus riders - zero, the dozen or so 'protesters' who showed up for the 'victory ride' - zero.
I wonder if the lawyers will re-christen their cars "wrongmobiles" if Davis loses (as I suspect she will) when she finally gets before a judge? For now, I think "chickenmobiles" is appropriate.
Posted by: Joe D. at December 11, 2005 06:26 AM