Monday, February 27, 2017 Volume 126, No. 93
A&C
SPORTS
A&C
Body acceptance
Orange Out win
Oscars recap
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PAGE 11
PAGE 12
Fort Collins community protests proposed sit-lie ban by sitting in snow Jeff McKissack lays on th ground after proclaiming “I’m not standing for this anymore” at the sit- lie Ban protest on Friday afternoon. PHOTO BY JULIA TROWBRIDGE COLLEGIAN
By Rachel Telljohn @racheltelljohn
“Sit Happens” and “Compassion My Ass” were two of at least a dozen signs in Oak Street Plaza facing drivers, headed southbound on College Avenue for their Friday afternoon commute. Drivers who honked received a cheer from the twenty or so people sitting on the plaza. Despite temperatures dipping
below 30 degrees Fahrenheit a small crowd turned out for the “Sit-In Against Sit-Lie” demonstration, hosted by the Fort Collins Homeless Coalition in response to proposed city council legislation. “At the moment I’m just delighted (that there are people here),” said Lynn Thompson, one of the organizers with the Coalition. The proposed ordinance would make it illegal for anyone
to sit or lie on sidewalks and plazas in Fort Collins as well as to lie or recline on benches. It would also prohibit leaving personal items unattended. Thompson and Cheryl Distaso, another Coalition organizer, brought with them blankets, coffee and signs for community members who showed up in spite of the cooler weather. As a small crowd began to form Thompson and Distaso moved the tarps and blankets so
that the crowd could sit facing out towards College Ave. with their signs. A group of hula hoopers joined and brought chalk with them in order to decorate the sidewalks with flowers and encouraging messages. “I like that it’s a sit-in and a twirl-in,” Thompson said. The sit-in was different from other recent protests in Fort Collins and the surrounding area. There was no chanting and
there were no speakers. Of the roughly twenty people in attendance, most opted to sit quietly and hold a sign instead of yelling, marching or the like. Some community members previously attended two meetings, an open-house and a coffee chat that were hosted by the city, in addition to the sit-in. Others, like Robin Berl, were glad of the convenient timing of Friday’s sit-in. see SIT-LIE on page 4 >>