DENVER—Denver’s Columbus Day Parade will mark its 100th anniversary this weekend and like previous parades this one is expected to be contentious, with hundreds of American Indians and supporters turning out to condemn Columbus as a genocidal oppressor.
Organizers of a protest march called the All Nations/Four Directions March stepped up their rhetoric by likening last year’s use of reenactors of a 19th century U.S. Army Cavalry unit to carry the flag before the start of the parade to nooses used to intimidate black students in the central Louisiana town of Jena.
“Being led by a cavalry unit in a uniform from the Indian Wars exemplifies perfectly what this is about: It is about conquest, genocide and hatred,” said Glenn Morris, a member of the American Indian Movement leadership council and an organizer of the protest.
Parade organizer George Vendegnia of the Sons of Italy New Generation said the cavalry unit has always been a part of the parade, though they haven’t before been noted by the protest groups.
“It’s only three guys on horses,” Vendegnia said. “All this time (they’re saying) it was genocide by Columbus because he reigned through Spain and now they’re saying the cavalry did it. That’s their next attack group.
“If the U.S. cavalry committed genocide, why don’t they protest President’s Day?”
Racial tensions in Jena began rising in August 2006 after a black student sat under a tree known as a gathering spot for white high school students. Three white students later hung nooses from the tree. They were suspended but not prosecuted and six black students were later charged with crimes in the beating of a white teen that sparked massive protests.
Both the parade and protest march will be Saturday.
Denver’s parade, which was started in 1907, has a troubled history of arrests and confrontations between Columbus supporters and detractors. Protesters have called him a slave trader who touched off centuries of genocide and oppression against native people. Supporters say he was a brave explorer who opened a new world and the parade is a celebration of Italian heritage.
Colorado is credited with being the first to make Columbus Day a state holiday, which in 1937 became a federal holiday. The parade is touted as being one of the first in honor of Columbus.
Morris and other members of the groups that compose the Transform Columbus Day Alliance want Columbus’ name dropped from the celebration, noting that they recognize the parade organizers’ desire to celebrate their Italian heritage.
Not doing so turns the celebration into a celebration of hate, the protesters said.
“A hundred years is enough of a celebration that is nothing more than hate speech,” said Mark Cohen, a member of the alliance. “This vile and racist celebration that started here must end here.”
Morris and other members of AIM this year were rebuffed when they asked legislative leaders to pass a bill revoking the commemoration, which Morris said was called divisive. Gov. Bill Ritter’s spokesman, Evan Dreyer, in May said the administration has been working on issues important to American Indians, including improving health care and education.
In 1990, organizers allowed AIM leader Russell Means and about 150 supporters to lead the parade to avoid a demonstration but in 1992 the parade was called off minutes before it was to begin to avoid a clash with activists.
Organizers again revived the parade in 2000, with both sides meeting on the issue in talks mediated by clergy, which produced no results.
There has been no face-to-face talks since 2001, Vendegnia said.
“The only thing controversial is the protest, it’s not the holiday,” Vendegnia said.
