Rocky drums up Bush protesters

The weekly Liberty Park drum circle had a new member Sunday, one without noticeable tattoos, who used his voice instead of drums to make his statements: Mayor Rocky Anderson.

The Salt Lake chief executive rubbed shoulders with folks with purple hair, spectacular skin art, dreadlocks and a variety of drums. He was there pledging to work out problems with vendors — and he also took the opportunity to recruit drum circle regulars to attend today's protest against President Bush.

Anderson was invited to the circle by a frequent participant who claimed that for many the drum circle is a spiritual experience. An e-mail from the participant said he had heard that vendors would be relegated to another area of the park.

The vendors, selling items from trinkets to jewelry, from food to art work, may be moved to a corner of the park away from the drum circle, according to the e-mail. Drum circle participants do not want to move from their area, considering it sacred because of a death there a few weeks ago, added the note. But they did not want the artisans moved away either.

Pounding rhythms suddenly stopped and those watching and performers yelled welcome when Anderson showed up accompanied by several police officers on bicycle.

Anderson said the city is trying to work it out so that people can sell arts, crafts and other things in the park. "We want vendors here, we want artists, crafts people here at Liberty Park," he said.

But that "just can't be everywhere."

Anderson asked the drum circle folks for their input on the issue of vendor location. He added that he wants a high-profile police presence, and that police are not a problem to people who aren't doing anything illegal.

"We just want everybody to feel that they're comfortable, that they're welcome, and that they're safe and secure here in this park," Anderson told participants.

"Bunny," who has been going to the drum circle for 11 years and who wore a red bandana across his long, graying hair, told Anderson there was no friction over vendors "until they stated selling food and drink to compete with the concession stand. The handcrafts, I heard they didn't care about.

"And Rocky, the drum circle's not about drugs, alcohol . . . or selling things. It's about celebration of life or joy just to be together with brothers and sisters!" At that point, Bunny's comments were drowned out by drumming and yells of approval.

Anderson urged the group to attend the protest of Bush's visit that was planned for today. It will be at Pioneer Park, starting at 11:30 a.m. with the protest really getting going about noon, he said.