Denver, Co. Denver Sweeps about 80 People Without Housing Today: Houseless Man with One Leg Stands His Ground Tomorrow, City Plans to Sweep 100 Plus More People to Nowhere…
Today, August 25th 2020, the city sent in mass crews of police and city workers to sweep “away” about 80 people living on 22nd, Champa, and Curtis St. A large crowd of people also showed up to support those being displaced and call out the injustice of the sweeps. The city gave no one housing or even hotels from this camp. All residents were scattered to some other block to face the same police sweeps tomorrow or who knows when…
One man, Van, stood his ground (literally on one leg) and refused to move. He told the police he was not moving and did not consent to them taking his property, and the city took it anyway. He stood on his only leg outside the tape with the protesters and told of how he has been pushed from block to block enough over his past years on the street. He lost his leg to frostbite last winter after not being allowed in the day shelter and not having proper gear on the streets.
Tomorrow, August 26th 2020, the City plans to sweep the second area right next door (Stout, Park Ave, California) where another 100 plus people live. Here are some quotes from residents of the camps in this area about their response to the coming sweep tomorrow.
It’s very stressful, this constant moving.
They are complicating our survival.
We have a right to be here, we have a right not to go to the shelter with bed bugs.
Fuck the Puereos
It makes me feel good that people care and are helping.
I have no where to go.
We are not cattle.
Until they offer me a home, I will be in this spot with my tent.
This is where my case manager can find me, my path to housing.
Give me one logical reason why I have to move.
The only way I will move my stuff is if they hand me a lease to an apartment.
Stand with residents of these camps tomorrow around 6am or all morning. If you can…bring…
-Water
-Food
-Socks
-Signs with one of these quotes from residents
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