Today, September 10th 2020, the police arrested two black homeless men – one for being 6 minutes late to move his stuff, the other for supposed threats – after sweeping them from the block.
The city sent in police and public works to 22nd and Stout/Champa area which had been swept two weeks ago to re-sweep about 10 people who had moved back to the area. Some of these people moved back the night after the sweep, others a few days after, but in any case folks have been living on these blocks since the sweep with no indication that the area is “closed.”
At least 6 people will show up today to find all their property gone. One of these people, Van, showed up shortly after the police had just trashed, not stored, his tent and all his property. This is the same man who stood his ground against the police on one leg at the sweep two weeks ago. All of the residents of this area are scattered to nowhere…
After coming in and taking these people’s property around 12noon, one resident – David – showed up on site as the city was about to grab his property. The police agreed to give him two hours to pack and move. Just after 2pm police showed up, walked up and arrested Daivd at 2:14pm for “disobeying a lawful order” aka being 6 minutes late to move his property as he was actively in the midst of moving his property. Police did not give him any warning or any time when they walked up on him at 2:14pm to arrest him. They just threw him in handcuffs and told him he was under arrest.
A few minutes later, another man – Allen – who had just had his property taken from the city two hours earlier and walked up to it being gone, came back to the area since we had found someone to give him a ride to try to get his stuff from storage and he was immediately arrested. Police claimed he was on body camera footage threatening an officer and arrested him for “threats to an officer.” This same officer who he supposedly threatened, was caught on camera pushing his car door into Allen and grabbing his arm and pushing him back. This was all as Allen was trying to ask officers for business cards after his property had just been taken. Two hours later police proceeded to arrest him with great force and had him on the ground for over 30 minutes.
You don’t have to look any farther to see the intersection of racism, homelessness, and police brutality. Police arrested these men for NOTHING because that is what police do to homeless black people. Enough is enough.
Thanks to community members who are bailing these men out of jail.
Watch livestream and others on our facebook of these sweeps and arrests https://www.facebook.com/DenverHomelessOutLoud/videos/716517545872124
Contact:
info@denverhomelessoutloud.org
720-940-5291
