Lawyers trained

Jeralyn Merritt notes a training session for DNC lawyers at the University of Denver today:

If you get arrested protesting at the Democratic National Convention in August, have no fear, the DNC People's Law Project will have your back.

The People's Law Project will provide pro-bono attorneys to help jailed protesters during the convention. The group will also staff a hotline where protesters can call for help and will field teams of neutral legal observers who will attend rallies and videotape protesters' interaction with police.

60 lawyers willing to volunteer their services met at the University of Denver today for a training session on how to defend arrested protesters.

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper has said the police have undergone training to help diffuse violence. Denver civil rights attorney David Lane, speaking at today's session, said police reaction to the protesters is key.

David Lane, Merritt somehow doesn't notice, once again threatens violence while blaming the cops:

"If police are ill-trained and ill-led, '68 may very well be recreated in Denver," Lane said referring to riots during the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago.

Merritt also notes this bit of information from ReCreate 68 for out-of-town protesters:

Saturday, August 23 - When you arrive in Denver, find your way to Lincoln Park in front of the State Capitol for the sharing of important information. We will be presenting trainings and knowledge shares on logistics of Denver and the DNC, Know Your Rights” trainings, Legal Observer trainings, non-technical blockade trainings, self-defense trainings and more that will help you throughout the week.

The Alliance for Real Democracy and Tent State are going to be conducting classes and trainings, too. These people need to decide if this is gonna be a riot or the start of fall semester at the University of Phoenix.

Update: Last April DU had a training for nonlawyer protesters and "activists" planning to attend the DNC.