Are Snowball Fights Still Illegal in Colorado?

(Aspect III: Odd Rules in Colorado)

In 2018, a 9-12 months-old boy named Dane Most effective built global headlines for convincing the city council in his hometown of Severance, Colorado, to overturn a century-outdated legislation that said throwing snowballs was illegal.

“Snowballs” fell underneath the town’s definition of “missiles,” and an ordinance banned the throwing of “missiles” at an additional “human being, animal, developing,” or even a “tree.” § 10-5-80. So, despite the fact that the ban was in no way enforced and Very best was never ever ticketed for committing a crime, the law nevertheless manufactured it illegal for Dane and his friends in Severance to have a snowball combat.

Best argued to the board that having snowball fights gives children a very good reason to participate in outside the house in the winter season. The city council agreed, and eradicated the term “snowball” from its prohibitions versus throwing points.

Even so, Severance just isn’t the only city in Colorado with ordinances in opposition to snowballs.

In the town of Aspen, for occasion, it’s continue to towards the legislation to toss snowballs “at any car, creating,” or “any particular person”. § 15.04.210. That identical legislation also bans the “discharge” of “any bow, blowgun, slingshot,” or “catapult” in any public location.

In Boulder, “no person shall forged, toss, or propel” “balls, boomerangs, bottles, darts, Frisbees,” “design airplanes, rocks,” or “snowballs.” § 5-6-9(a).

Nevertheless, there is a specific exception for a “juggler,” who is allowed to toss all-around snowballs, but no knives or just about anything on hearth. § 5-6-9(b).

And, even though it really is not against the regulation to have a snowball battle in a cemetery in Boulder, it is unlawful to get started a food items battle there. § 8-7-5(a).

In the city of Fort Collins, it’s only illegal to throw snowballs “on or at any vehicle,” Chap. 17 Artwork. VI § 17-102, though in Windsor, it is really versus the regulation to toss snowballs at “any car or truck, setting up, tree or other general public or personal home, or upon or at any particular person in any public way or upon other community ground.” § 10-4-80.

When snowball fights are permitted in the town of Snowmass, it can be however illegal to “throw” or “eject” a snowball “in any manner which could cause actual physical damage or property injury.” § 10-42.

Likewise, in Louisville, it can be not just “throwing” snowballs in a method that has “substantial chance of leading to personal injury or hurt” that’s banned, but also “slinging, dropping, capturing or launching” them. Chap. 9.36 § 010.

In Hudson, New Castle, and Rifle, you can only throw snowballs at “any person, animal, motor motor vehicle,” “constructing, construction,” or “tree” if it belongs to you. Hudson, Art. 4 Chap. 10 § 54 New Castle, Cap. 9.24 § 110 Rifle, Artwork. III § 10-3-110.

It’s not only towards the legislation to toss a snowball in public in the cities of Keenesburg, Leadville, Loveland, Nederland, Oak Creek, and Pierce, but it can be also a crime to do so “on enclosed or unenclosed floor.” Keenesburg, Chap. 10 Artwork. 4 § 100 Leadville, Chap. 9.44 § 030 Loveland, Art. V Chap. 9.44 § 030 Nederland, Art. IX § 10-165 Oak Creek, Chap. 9.52 § 060 Pierce, Chap. 10 Art. 5 § 120.

Throwing snowballs is a criminal offense in Glenwood Springs if the person threw them with the intent to injure somebody, or to “deface or soil any own assets.” Art. 120.020 § 060.

And in Idaho Springs, it really is only legal to throw a snowball if it truly is “for recreational functions in such a manner that no unreasonable threat of damage was presented” to any one, or if it was thrown in self-protection or protection of other people. Art. 5 § 17-82.

So, even though it really is now sport-on in Severance, snowball fights are nevertheless illegal in other sections of Colorado.