OCCUPY DENVER HOLDS PEACE VIGIL TONIGHT AT 6

From Occupy Denver press release.
The weekly march at Occupy Denver deteriorated into a full-fledged standoff yesterday, resulting in several confrontations between police and protesters. The primary message of the Occupy Wall Street movement has become overshadowed in the past few weeks, as focus has shifted from demands for economic justice to 1st Amendment rights and outcries against police brutality.

The display of overt police violence at yesterday’s assembly of peaceful protesters was entirely abhorrent. The overwhelming police presence was centered on a handful of tents in a public park. The unnecessary show of force by the Denver Police Department was not only disproportionate and inflammatory, but a vastly excessive expenditure of public funds. We urge Denver’s new Chief of Police, Robert White, to live up to his reputation for being reasonable and holding police officers under his jurisdiction accountable.

We openly condemn the Denver Police Department for using pepper balls, shotgun-propelled beanbag rounds, pepper spray and tear gas on an entirely unarmed and nonviolent group. We have collected scores of unedited photos and videos depicting sheer brutality on the part of police on site: officers choking already restrained protesters, using a stun wand on a female arrestee who was already face down and pinned to the ground by an officer, verbally threatening protesters during the standoff, and recklessly and indiscriminately deploying chemical weapons on unarmed civilians, to name a few.

Police violence has never, and will never stop our movement’s momentum. We will continue to organize and move forward, as have Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Oakland, Occupy Boston, and countless other occupations across the nation and around the globe.

While the goals of Occupy Wall Street are myriad, the central message of the Occupy movement is specific–and clear to those who are willing to listen: this is a nonviolent movement seeking to bring economic justice to a sociopolitical and economic system that has consistently favored the 1% of citizens at the apex of wealth, while oppressing the beleaguered majority. By allowing money to corrupt corporate responsibility and unduly influence the political process in the United States, our nation’s current policies have undercut our fundamental rights as Americans to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

As a nonviolent movement, Occupy Denver utterly deplores and condemns the use of any and all types of violence by any individual or organization, whether of law enforcement or private citizenry.

Occupy Denver is a leaderless, non-hierarchical movement, comprised of autonomous individuals. Occupy Denver does not condone or endorse the behaviors of any individual claiming membership to or affinity for our efforts, and especially disdains individuals who promote, incite, threaten, or resort to violence under any circumstance. Individuals promoting or resorting to violence of any form are explicitly not welcome at Occupy Denver and contradict entirely with the avowed core values of the movement. While the movement prides itself on maintaining public health and safety, and order within its ranks, Occupy Denver cannot control private citizens who choose to act against our sworn principles of nonviolence, and deeply regret their appearance alongside our tireless efforts.

In response to the volatile atmosphere created by the most aggressive raid of Occupy Denver to date by the police, we are holding a Sunset Peace Vigil at 6pm tonight. Please join us and help bring the focus of the movement back to its fundamental philosophy of peace and economic justice.

ABOUT OCCUPY DENVER

Occupy Denver is an autonomous group of concerned citizens aiming to bring awareness to the issues of corporate inequality and greed, and to empower the 99% of the citizenry that does not benefit from the policies that support this objectionable structure. For more information, please visit occupydenver.org, or contact Occupy Denver at media-pr@occupydenver.org.

Denver police do a great job of PR for Occupy Denver

Photos from the Denver Post (see more)

Occupiers coming better equipped to the show

Officer down in an unscripted fall

Officer playing his part with enthusiasm

Occupiers and officers came to Saturday's march in full battle dress for their parts in the continuing drama at Colfax and Broadway (I was unable to attend). Hickenlooper and Hancock have seemed determined to draw the line by not allowing tents, repeatedly removing the occupiers camping gear, food, and medical supplies, but allowing them to sleep on the sidewalk for the last few days despite the 11pm to 6am curfew .

Tactical error by police
After the marchers approached the west steps of the Capitol and were repulsed, they moved down to their camp on Broadway. There police seem to have made a tactical error by driving two motorcycles up on the grass and into the crowd. After an occupier shoved the back end of the second motorcycle, he was chased down and arrested. (Video from DenverOccupy)

This led to the officers being surrounded by occupiers with the police then using pepper spray and guns with pepper "bullets" on the crowd. The occupiers backed away and the police moved back to the street.

Here's a second point of view on the motorcycle takedown




More from SenorMysterioso on YouTube:

Senor goes on to say:

October 29, 2011. Occupy Denver. Police fight with protesters in Civic Center Park. 

This video starts right after police stormed into the park to pull a tarp out of a tree. Police tackled a man and a woman to the ground. Protesters became enraged about the force being used.

I removed my original description because of threats. I was objectively relating what I observed and experienced but some people were angry so I will just let everyone watch for themselves.

Yet another point of view of the inside action

Live feeds

I was able to find 4 live feeds of the action while it was ongoing. 9news seemed to have commandeered the DOT camera (note watermark on screen grab) from atop the light pole on the southwest corner of Colfax and Broadway.

Other feeds included Ustream's StandUpDenver, occupydenvernow, and occupydenver303. You can search around at Ustream to find their recorded streams.

Police action at Occupy Denver today

From StandUpDenver via Ustream at 3:24pm:

Live feed of Occupy Denver standoff on 9news now

http://www.9news.com/video/9newsonline.aspx

Occupy Denver from SenorMysterioso

Denver Public Works & Denver Parks and Recreation Announce Free Broken Branch Drop-Off Sites for Denver Residents

DENVER, CO ­— October 27, 2011- Bring your broken branches to one our three free drop-off locations in Denver for quick disposal. Only branches will be accepted at these sites and all branches will be recycled into mulch.

 

All sites will be accepting branches starting on Friday, October 28 (tomorrow) through Sunday, October 30 from 10am-4pm. Proof of Denver residency is required.

 

Broken Branch Free Drop-Off Sites:

·         Havana Nursery: 10450 Smith Road – enter off Havana Street 

·         Barnum Park North:  3144 W. 6^th Ave –east side parking lot - access via 8^th and Federal

·         Kennedy Softball Complex:  3398 S. Kenton Street – NW parking lot of the Complex off of West Dartmouth and South Kenton

 

Please remember:

·         No tree stumps will be accepted

·         No commercial contractors

·         No professional landscapers

·         No private haulers

 

Disposal of tree branches as part of regular trash collection:

·         Branches must be no larger than 4 inches in diameter, and they must be cut into lengths of 4 feet or less, bundled and tied, and weigh no more than 50 pounds.

·         Bundled branches can be set out with regular trash on your scheduled trash collection day. For more information about branch disposal visitwww.Denvergov.org/Trash

·         Branches set out with regular trash collection will not be recycled.

 

OCCUPY DENVER REQUESTS SOLIDARITY FROM CITY COUNCIL, PRESENTS OVER 10,000 PETITION SIGNATURES.

Denver police call in heavy equipment to remove igloo 10/25/11

Over the past few days the city has issued its initial price tag for Occupy Denver. They say they spent an exorbitant amount, over $365,000. That is enough money to put most of the homeless folk that they forcibly evicted from the "tent city" in condos for a year and still have money left over to provide Occupy Denver with electricity, portapotties, and heat for the winter. At the very least, that money could have been used for creating jobs or community building. According to Mayor Hancock’s office, the money was allocated as follows: Denver Police Department - $237,000. 
Denver Sheriff's Department - $116,000. 
Denver Health - $10,000. 
Public Works - $1,300 
Environmental Health - $500. We are told that the tents were taken down for safety reasons and that they set a dangerous precedent. We are concerned about the safety of the homeless population as well as the Occupiers as winter encroaches. We question the state’s demands for “safety” as we recall a massive police presence, and the treatment of non-violent protesters over the last week, and many others who find themselves without a safe place to sleep at night.

This week it was announced that the Mayor seeks to ban all downtown camping. Currently, the 16th St. Mall is one of the few places in the city where homeless people can legally sleep from 9pm-7am without risking arrest. This ban will make the lives of Denver’s homeless even more difficult. The mayor says, “We only have one downtown. We must protect the vitality of our downtown, the city core.” Occupy Denver is in full agreement with this statement. We must protect our city core, which as we know, consists of many homeless veterans and other citizens who have nowhere else to go. We are also comprised of those who continue to occupy the downtown area in solidarity with the global Occupy movement. Placing a ban on “downtown camping” would attempt to hammer the final nail into the coffin of the Occupy movement in Denver, by making it illegal for anyone to sleep on a sidewalk, which is where the Occupy Denver exiles are currently situated. Mayor Hancock's website states, "He believes in bringing different groups together to find common-sense solutions to complicated challenges, and he believes that by working together we can build on our past and create a world-class city of tomorrow, because We are all Denver." We invite the mayor to follow through with his commitment to find a common sense solution to this complicated challenge, by addressing his concerns directly with Occupy Denver. This is not a debate over tents. We are focused on being allowed a platform by which we may legally express our grievances.

With this in mind, we would like to draw to the state’s attention, that as promised, we have obtained over 10,000 signatures on the petition to end arrests at Occupy Denver. We urge the city council to pass a resolution of solidarity with the Occupy Denver movement, and to push the Mayor and Governor to allow us to occupy throughout the winter. We urge the Mayor to grant a waiver of city ordinance to Occupy Denver members to allow us to resume our occupation without arrest.

Let us help you. We are all the 99%. By working with us on these issues you will have the support of the people. When this occupation movement succeeds, corporations will be paying their fair share of tax revenue, generating more income for state infrastructure, education, and policies to improve the quality of life for all Coloradans. This protest, this Occupation, is an act of free speech and peaceable assembly, protected by the United States Constitution, and the First Amendment has no curfew. In Los Angeles, the Mayor passed out ponchos to occupiers and the homeless. Hundreds of police officers in Albany refused orders to dismantle the Occupation in upstate New York. Many other cities have given up on trying to suppress this movement by force, we urge Denver to follow suit.

Occupy Denver is holding a rally & march this Saturday October 29th, 12PM @ The Civic Center Park. Join us.

Police body language at Occupy Denver

Crossed arms

I've been to the Occupy Denver site a number of times, and I can't help but notice the body language  and individual actions of the police there. This photo (from Kelsey Whipple of Westword) says it all.

On Saturday, within the first 15 minutes of my arrival, I witnessed three different uniformed Denver bicycle police spitting on the sidewalk. The third one happened just a few feet from me, so I walked over to the officer.

"Isn't spitting on the sidewalk against the law? I asked of the spitting officer. He said "No" but his partner laughed and said "Yes". I looked down at the large, wet goober lying on the sidewalk near his foot.

"I think it's disgusting, it's bad for your image, and that you should stop." I walked away.

This "image" problem that the Denver police have goes further. From the same Westword (Denver's only real newspaper) article: (emphasis mine)

"The small box shack drew immediate attention from police constantly positioned across the street to monitor the group because its placement blocked part of the sidewalk, Hausner says. "Even the people sleeping on the sidewalks at night are currently in violation of the law, but we're willing to let that one go. This one, we cannot."The fluctuating interpretation of the ruling drew confusion from the Occupy gathering, which was split almost in half on the decision of whether or not to tear down the Thundercube."

So the police get to decide which violations to enforce, and which to "let go".

Given the early estimates ($365,000) of the cost of this "fluctuating interpretation" and enforcement  of the law, I'm guessing that the cost to taxpayers is well over $1 million by now. Isn't it time for Mayor Hancock and Governor Hickenlooper to "let this one go"?

May I recommend that H & H (and the police) follow what is happening in Albany, NY, where the police refused to obey orders to arrest the occupiers?

Meanwhile, Albany County District Attorney David Soares on Sunday said that over the weekend he had conversations with Jennings, Albany Police Chief Steven Krokoff and State Police officials about his concerns regarding prosecution of “peaceful protesters.”
Soares said protests at the state Capitol are common, and historically anyone arrested for trespassing generally faces a low-level charge that’s later dismissed.
“Our official policy with peaceful protesters is that unless there is property damage or injuries to law enforcement, we don’t prosecute people protesting,” Soares said. “If law enforcement engaged in a pre-emptive strike and started arresting people I believe it would lead to calamitous results, and the people protesting so far are peaceful.”
Source: Red Green & Blue (http://s.tt/13BLN)

COLORADO RESIDENTS TO GOV. HICKENLOOPER AND MAYOR HANCOCK: RESPECT RIGHTS OF OCCUPY DENVER PARTICIPANTS

WASHINGTON, DC – Colorado residents are joining a 10,000-strong campaign on Change.org demanding that Colorado Governor Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Hancock respect the rights of Occupy Denver participants to gather at Civic Center Park.
Denver resident Sarah Fong launched the online petition campaign after watching police arrest Occupy Denver participants. A growing number of Colorado residents have joined the campaign on Change.org, the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change.

“I started to realize that the Occupy Together movement was a huge mass of people who decided to do something about the corporate power that has overtaken us,” Fong said. “Because of the size and scope of Occupy Together, and because of its emphasis on democracy, I started to take inventory of the things I could to contribute to the movement in some small way.”

Since the launch of the Occupy Denver campaign on Change.org less than two weeks ago, more than 10,000 people have added their signatures. Several other Occupy Together groups in cities across the U.S. have since created their own campaigns on Change.org to defend participants against attacks by local officials.

Live signature totals from Sarah Fong’s Occupy Denver campaign:
http://www.change.org/petitions/gov-of-colorado-and-mayor-of-denver-stop-the-occupy-denver-arrests

Live signature totals from a similar campaign by Occupy Colorado Springs:
http://www.change.org/petitions/mayor-bach-allow-occupy-colorado-springs-to-use-acacia-park

Journalists interested in contacting Governor Hickenlooper or Mayor Hancock’s public relations staff should try:

For Mayor Hancock:

Amber Miller

Phone: 720.865.9016

amber.miller@denvergov.org

For Governor Hickenlooper:

Eric Brown

Phone: 303.866.6324

eric.brown@state.co.us

Holly Shrewsbury

holly.shrewsbury@state.co.us

For more information on Change.org, please visit:
http://www.change.org/about
Change.org is the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change — growing by more than 400,000 new members a month, and empowering millions of people to start, join, and win campaigns for social change in their community, city and country.

Poet