A 60-year-old librarian received a trespassing ticket today after a liberal group’s protest outside a John McCain town hall meeting Monday.

Clutching a sign that read “McCain = Bush,” Carol Kreck was removed from the atrium at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts by four Denver police officers.

Kreck, a former Denver Post reporter who works part-time as a librarian for an education think tank, said she was removed as she quizzed a police officer about whether he could deny her free speech “on city property” by taking away her sign, while McCain supporters wore buttons inside.

Jenny Schiavone, a spokeswoman for the performing arts center, said the venue is city-owned rental property, but is not legally defined as public property.

The liberal group ProgressNowAction had called before the event and asked about being inside the atrium, she said. The group was told it would have to rent space or use previously designated protest areas along the street, Schiavone said.

Michael Huttner, who organized the rally, said Progress NowAction was not told to rent space or stand anywhere.

A Youtube video of Kreck’s removal, posted by Progress NowAction, shows a performing arts center security officer asking Kreck to put down her sign, noting he had asked her and other protestors to do so earlier. In the same video, a police officer tells her she can attend the event if she gets rid of the sign.

A McCain spokesman said no one, including McCain supporters, were allowed to carry signs.

Detective John White, a spokesman for the Denver Police Department, said officers acted as they would for any complaint on private property.

“Our officers received a signed complaint from a security guard at a private event and acted accordingly,” he said.

Tom Kise, a spokesman for the McCain campaign, did not know about Kreck’s ouster, but said the town hall-style meeting was open to supporters and opponents.

“All the campaign asked for is a respectful dialogue,” Kise said.

At a speech at the University of Denver in May, war protesters interrupted McCain four times until they were removed from the event.

Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com