Photo by: Ryan Lumpkin
The tent community set up by the Occupy Denver protesters outside the Capitol was dismantled by police under the order of Governor John Hickenlooper at 3 a.m. on Friday, prompting massive turnout and more aggressive protesting during the weekly Saturday rally.
After indicating that he could not allow the unlawful accumulation of people camping out in the Civic Center Park, where Occupy Denver had about 70 tents set up, Hickenlooper sent in a police force dressed in riot gear to dismantle the community. Twenty-three protesters were arrested for suspected unlawful conduct and for standing down the police during the raid.
Hickenlooper’s decision has garnered a mixed response from participatants and opponents. Some are supportive of his decision but others, especially protesters, are furious.
“A lot of the people camping out there were veterans,” said Scott Green, a protester who spent Friday night in jail after participating in the stand off with the Denver Police. “Two words should never go together: veteran and homeless. That’s who most of the people camping out in that park were. They lost everything.”
However, Hickenlooper and the city defended the decision, citing that the occupation of the park was unlawful and dismantled in the interest of public safety.
“I think half the world thinks we should have acted much sooner and I think half the world thinks we shouldn’t have acted at all,” Hickenlooper told The Denver Post in a Friday interview.
“He throws out all these ordinances and laws but I think Hickenlooper fails to understand the spirit of the Constitution,” said Yvonne Varela, a candidate at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies.
She argues, as many protesters do, that city laws should not counteract the ability of the people to peacefully protest and assemble. Hickenlooper’s Facebook account has been overwhelmed by an outpouring of anger by citizens sympathetic to Occupy Denver. Under one post regarding GE’s entrance into Colorado, there were over 130 comments, many arguing his decision to remove the Occupy camp.
“The First Amendment and its rights guarantees for free speech and assembly are critical to our democracy,” said Hickenlooper in a statement his office released on Friday addressing the concerns. “These rights are what set the United States above all other nations. We also have rules and laws which must be followed.
“In the end, we worked with Occupy Denver to find a resolution that included constructive communication, many people voluntarily leaving the park, no violence and minimal arrests,” the letter concluded.
“The American people are worried,” said Colorado Senator Scott Udall in an interview with Inside the Mile High. “As policy makers, as leaders, we ought to take their concerns seriously. We have to listen to what they have to say.”
Udall said he supported Hickenlooper’s decision to remove the protesters from the park.
“He’s following ordinances,” said Udall of Hickenlooper’s decision. “My sense today is there is the right kind of balance here. I don’t envy the governor; these are tough decisions.”
After Thursday night’s developments, the rally held on Saturday drew over 2,000 protesters, who marched down the 16th Street Mall and 17th Street before hosting a sit-in on Broadway.
Police remained at the intersection and diverted traffic for almost the entire afternoon. The crowd, which had been about 200-400 strong in previous weeks, swelled to over twice that number. Many remained to protest long after the scheduled time had ended.
Set up at the intersection of Broadway and 14th Street was the kitchen tent, which had been disassembled by police the previous night. A large sign sat in front, reading, “We’re back.”
“We are going to be here 24 hours a day, seven days a week until things get better,” said Darren Lyman, who helps to run the kitchen. “Everyone is welcome to come eat at this kitchen, no matter who they are.”
At around 6 p.m., nine more were arrested by police for blocking Broadway and the kitchen tent was again dismantled, prompting the protest to move down the 16th Street Mall.
Several met again on Sunday at the park to continue the protest.
The sudden regularity of arrests and controversy seems to align with the warnings issued by Occupy Denver movement that protests will increase in vehemence if they are oppressed by the government.
“Your actions are likely to ignite a new wave of protests, with a substantial probability they will follow the more traditional, more confrontational, means of speaking out,” said William ReMine in an open letter to Hickenlooper being passed out during Saturday’s rally.
“You apparently did not realize that the people occupying the parks are standing in a representative capacity, as a symbol, on behalf of thousands upon thousands who would have joined the occupations but for work, family occupations, illnesses…and other personal commitments,” the letter continued.
The decision to take down the Occupy Denver encampment was not unique to Denver alone. There has also been government action taken against Occupy Boston, Berlin, Chicago and dozens of other protest sites. In New York, aggravated citizens brought the protests to Times Square, where about 6,000 assembled and 70 were arrested.
In Denver, there are plans for a massive mobilization on Oct. 29, capping a week of special actions planned for Oct. 24-29.
The plans include a Demands Delivery at Wells Fargo, National Divestment Action day and a student march to Wells Fargo.
College-age students have also planned an “Occupy Colleges” movement, in which students plan to not attend classes to show solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement.
These plans and others have been advertised on occupydenver.org, where people can access discussion, contact information, general assembly outlines and the “eight rules” of Occupy Denver.
Occupy Denver will continue to have General Assembly meetings at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Civic Center Park every evening as well as rallies at noon on Saturdays.
