Post-Election Fears Trigger 'Safe Zones' In Boulder
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - Post-election fears have triggered the creation of "safe zones" at dozens of buildings throughout Boulder County.
Employees were in the process of posting safe zone signage at every county facility in an effort to promote inclusion of all people and to discourage hate crimes.
The signs state that people in the space will be respected regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender expression, sexual orientation, political affiliation, size, and a variety of other personal traits.
County officials said that a committee had made the decision to post the signs after hearing an outpouring of concerns about changes that could occur during Trump's upcoming presidency. The worries came from various groups and organizations, including members of the LGBT community, undocumented immigrants, and churches, to name a few.
"There's fear and anxiety," said Gabi Boerkircher, a spokesperson with the Boulder County Commissioner's Office. "And we wanted to make it known that at the local level, nothing's going to change. We've always really been about inclusion, and being a welcoming community. And we wanted to make it clear that whatever happens at the national level, we're still going to be inclusive here."
Residents like Christopher Gard, a Boulder native, expressed support for the county's initiative.
"I think it's a very positive step for the county to acknowledge everyone as being equal and that they're actually trying to support everyone and give them extra protection," Gard said.
Some felt hopeful that the messaging could help to prevent hate crimes.
"I'm not surprised that people are lashing out like that," said Burak Akgun, who was visiting Boulder this week. "(Hate crime) is a bad thing. It really shows the vision there is right now in America."
County officials said they expected to expand the signage in the coming week or more. They expected to replace temporary signs with permanent placards in county buildings, along with stickers for county vehicles.
Melissa Garcia has been reporting for CBS4 News since March 2014. Find her bio here, follow her on Twitter @MelissaGarciaTV, or send your story idea to mkgarcia@cbs.com.
