Occupy Sniagrab

For Immediate Release:

Occupy Sniagrab!  Wednesday night, Thursday night, any time between now and September 1st!

Don’t Miss Ssensselemoh!!! (That’s Homelessness Spelled Backwards)

On April 16, 2012 the Denver city council approved the “Urban Camping Ban” in a vote of 9 to 4 in spite of the mass public outcry that this ban will criminalize homelessness! Passing such a measure clearly showed that they care much more for the interests and profits of the corporations and businesses that were pushing for this measure than they do for the citizens of Denver, particularly the homeless.

Now this week, just over four months later, the city of Denver has granted a permit to Sports Authority to allow folks to “Urban Camp” out outside of their store in order to be first in line for Sports Authority’s big annual sale – “Sniagrab” (bargains spelled backwards). It appears to the City Government urban camping is perfectly OK when it involves a big corporation making lots of money. It’s just not OK when it involves the safety and well being of a homeless person. If the homeless so much as lay down and cover themselves with a jacket in order to protect themselves from the elements and get some rest at night they are subject to arrest and police harassment.  This has driven many homeless people away from the safer more public areas and into dark hiding places down by the river, under bridges or railroad tracks and such where in such secret places with few around to protect them they are in danger of being beaten, robbed (of what little they have), raped, murdered…. 

Since urban camping is permitted in the interest of corporate profit, and not in the interest of people with no place to sleep, we the people of Denver Colorado will not turn a blind eye to this hypocrisy. That’s why we will now have what we call Ssensselemoh! (That’s homelessness spelled backwards). Come speak out with our homeless brothers and sisters! Speak out against the double standard that puts profits over people again!  The urban camping outside of Sports Authority for Sniagrab has already started, so folks, if you have something to say then come on down to 10th and Broadway to say it! This is NOT a protest of all the wonderful folks camping in line for these good deals. This is a time when the hypocrisy of the city government must be called out!  Bring signs, banners, camping gear or just yourself! Come prepared to stay the night or just for a while. While you can show up anytime between now and Friday the 31st, we are planning to be there en mass tonight (August 29th) starting at 6:00pm, and tomorrow (August 30th) after GA. Please keep in mind that our aim is to speak to the hypocrisy of the Denver city government in granting this permit, and to the greed of corporations that care only about profits! We are not aiming to protest the people that are camping there waiting to get into that sale! We do NOT want them to feel that we are protesting them! Please keep that in mind with whatever action you decide to take in this.  See you there!