FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Colorado College tenant says college may still be
working to stop anti-war protest:
Businessman says zoning complaint may originate with college administrators

EDITORIAL CONTACT:
Dave Therault
719-459-6471
dtherault@earthlink.net

October 28, 2005

Colorado Springs -- At the prompting of Colorado College administrators,
organizers of Camp Casey Colorado Springs today visited city zoning land use
offices to inquire about regulations which the college has stated apply to
the organizer's war protest.

The protest has been taking place on property owned by Colorado College and
leased to Toons Film and Music. Eric Verlo, proprietor of Toons, said on
Wednesday that he was approached by the property manager for the college and
threatened with forcible removal of the protest, and with immediate eviction
action against his business. Colorado College denies the threats alleged by
Verlo. A press release issued on Thursday by Colorado College states that it
simply seeks compliance with city zoning codes: "...the property manager has
not discussed eviction with the tenant."

However, the college's press release also states that the college has asked
for the dismantling of Camp Casey because Verlo has not sought a land use
permit from the city, nor special permission from the the college for his
protest action. As reported in the Rocky Mountains News on Thursday, David
Lord, business director for Colorado College, said "If he takes it down,
there's no issue." Verlo said that he takes exception to the college's
position that his protest should require permission from his landlord. "We
do not consider our expression of anti-war sentiments to be a violation of
the Toons lease," said Verlo, "just as we would repudiate any national
notion of free speech zones."

Verlo says that he was told today by Colorado Springs Land Use Inspector,
Pam Brady, that her office has received no calls of complaints by neighbors,
and that the only call she received on the issue was from Lord. "Ms. Baker
was very accommodating," said Verlo, "and told us that the impression she
got from Mr. Lord was that he was calling to see if there was some
regulation that could be used to control the protest, particularly through
the use of fees."

Verlo also criticizes the college for not approaching him in a manner
considerate of the exercise of free speech he is engaged in. "If Colorado
College was truly interested in protecting my First Amendment rights, they
sent the wrong messenger with the wrong message," he said. "They would
certainly have not sent, as a first communication, the property manager with
a demand that I shut down the protest, and wielding the terms of the lease
as a tactic."

In the Rocky Mountain News report, Lord cited complaints by neighbors as the
reason for asking for the dismantling of the protest. "We have to respect
the neighbors and other businesses," he said. Verlo says that this could be
an indication that the college is not interested in protecting political
speech on its property. "One's First Amendment rights should not be abridged
in any way by how irritated it might make one's neighbors," he said. "If
indeed a neighbor has complained," he added, "then Colorado College's first
move should have been to stand with me in support of my rights, instead of
to  offer them up."

Verlo says that he suspects that the college is being disingenuous.
"Colorado College now states that it supports freedom of expression," he
said. "The discovery today that it may have been working behind the scenes,
at any point, to find a technical way to control our war protest, calls into
question its neutrality as an academic institution, as it appears to be
taking a side in support of the war."

BACKGROUND: www.iraqwarmemorial.info

PREVIOUS PRESS:

Denver Post
10/28/2005 
Anti-war camp intends to stay put
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3158316

Gazette
10/28/2005 
Anti-war group told to get city permit
http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1311658&secid=1

Rocky Mountain News
October 27, 2005
College pulls plug on anti-war vigil in parking lot Camp Casey has been set
up since September in Colorado Springs
--Camp Casey, an anti-war vigil in a video store parking lot in Colorado
Springs, may shut down today at the request of the landlord - Colorado
College.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN_21_40.html