Carol Kreck, who was cited for trespassing while holding a paper sign outside Sen. John McCain’s town hall meeting on July 7, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday in Denver County Court.

The librarian, and former Denver Post reporter, was removed from the galleria at the Denver Performing Arts Complex because she was holding a sign handed to her by a protest group that said “McCain = Bush.”

The area that Kreck was standing in is not a public space and that is why she was cited for trespassing.

A security guard was captured on videotape telling Kreck to leave and said that the U.S. Secret Service had asked him to remove her.

Later, a spokeswoman for the complex said that the security guard was mistaken, that the Secret Service had nothing to do with it, and that McCain’s campaign staff had asked that people holding signs be removed from the galleria.

McCain’s campaign spokesman, Tom Kise, has said that is not true, that the Senator has a track record of allowing opposing views at his public events, and that the campaign only asked people inside the town-hall meeting not to hold signs of any kind.

Kise said the campaign never asked that people not be allowed to hold signs outside the venue and said it was complex’s own policy that was being enforced.

Kreck said she is surprised by the attention her case has received, but wants her day in court to find out who wanted her removed.

“No one will admit it and everybody’s pointing fingers at each other,” Kreck said. “That’s a good reason to go to trial.”

A trial date was set for Oct. 1 in Denver County courtroom 117M, but Kreck’s attorney, Peter Hedeen is handling a death-penalty case during that time and the date is likely to be reset.

Felisa Cardona: 303-954-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com