Are Snowball Fights Still Illegal in Colorado?

(Element III: Odd Laws in Colorado)

In 2018, a 9-12 months-old boy named Dane Best created intercontinental headlines for convincing the town council in his hometown of Severance, Colorado, to overturn a century-aged legislation that reported throwing snowballs was illegal.

“Snowballs” fell beneath the town’s definition of “missiles,” and an ordinance banned the throwing of “missiles” at an additional “individual, animal, setting up,” or even a “tree.” § 10-5-80. So, whilst the ban was never enforced and Best was in no way ticketed for committing a criminal offense, the legislation still manufactured it unlawful for Dane and his friends in Severance to have a snowball struggle.

Best argued to the board that obtaining snowball fights gives kids a superior rationale to play outside the house in the winter season. The city council agreed, and removed the term “snowball” from its prohibitions towards throwing items.

Nevertheless, Severance isn’t really the only city in Colorado with ordinances from snowballs.

In the town of Aspen, for occasion, it is even now versus the legislation to toss snowballs “at any car or truck, making,” or “any particular person”. § 15.04.210. That very same legislation also bans the “discharge” of “any bow, blowgun, slingshot,” or “catapult” in any public put.

In Boulder, “no human being shall cast, toss, or propel” “balls, boomerangs, bottles, darts, Frisbees,” “product airplanes, rocks,” or “snowballs.” § 5-6-9(a).

Having said that, there is a unique exception for a “juggler,” who is allowed to toss all around snowballs, but no knives or anything at all on fireplace. § 5-6-9(b).

And, even though it really is not towards the regulation to have a snowball combat in a cemetery in Boulder, it is illegal to commence a foodstuff combat there. § 8-7-5(a).

In the town of Fort Collins, it can be only illegal to toss snowballs “on or at any vehicle,” Chap. 17 Art. VI § 17-102, while in Windsor, it’s towards the law to throw snowballs at “any car or truck, setting up, tree or other general public or non-public property, or on or at any person in any general public way or on other public floor.” § 10-4-80.

Even though snowball fights are permitted in the city of Snowmass, it is however unlawful to “toss” or “eject” a snowball “in any way which might lead to physical harm or property damage.” § 10-42.

In the same way, in Louisville, it is not just “throwing” snowballs in a manner that has “significant chance of resulting in personal injury or hurt” that’s banned, but also “slinging, dropping, taking pictures or launching” them. Chap. 9.36 § 010.

In Hudson, New Castle, and Rifle, you can only toss snowballs at “any man or woman, animal, motor car,” “creating, structure,” 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 can be not only versus the legislation to throw a snowball in general public in the towns of Keenesburg, Leadville, Loveland, Nederland, Oak Creek, and Pierce, but it’s also a crime to do so “on enclosed or unenclosed floor.” Keenesburg, Chap. 10 Artwork. 4 § 100 Leadville, Chap. 9.44 § 030 Loveland, Artwork. V Chap. 9.44 § 030 Nederland, Art. IX § 10-165 Oak Creek, Chap. 9.52 § 060 Pierce, Chap. 10 Artwork. 5 § 120.

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

And in Idaho Springs, it’s only lawful to throw a snowball if it is really “for recreational functions in these a way that no unreasonable chance of hurt was offered” to anybody, or if it was thrown in self-protection or protection of other individuals. Artwork. 5 § 17-82.

So, while it’s now video game-on in Severance, snowball fights are continue to unlawful in other areas of Colorado.