• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
WRAP

WRAP

Western Regional Advocacy Project

  • Donate Now
  • Get Email Updates
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About
    • 40 Years of Fighting
    • History
    • Mission
    • Strategy
    • Members
    • Board / Staff
  • Campaigns
    • Business Improvement Districts
    • House Keys Not Sweeps
    • Homeless Bill of Rights
    • Oregon Right To Rest
    • Without Housing
    • Street Outreach
  • Organizing Tools
    • Without Housing Organizing Toolkit
    • Homeless Bill of Rights Campaign Manual
    • WRAP Organizers Manual
    • WRAP Artwork
  • Resources
    • Pipe Dreams and Picket Fences Report
    • Art in Action Power Point Slide Show
    • Hobos to Street People
    • House Keys Book
    • Political Education
    • Legal Research
  • Media
    • Newsletters
    • Blog
    • Hobos to Street People Art Show
    • Street Newspapers
    • Sweeps Gallery Videos
    • Videos
  • Support Us
    • Donate
    • Become a Monthly Sustainer
    • Volunteer
    • Support WRAP
    • WRAP Newsletters & Updates Sign Up

Denver, Co. Arrested for being Black and Homeless

September 10, 2020 by Jonathan Leave a Comment

City Arrests and Takes Property of Houseless People with No Notice

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/
 
Contact:
info@denverhomelessoutloud.org
https://denverhomelessoutloud.org/

720-940-5291

Filed Under: #right2rest, #StopTheSweeps, Civil & Human Rights, Criminalization, Denver Homeless Out Loud, Legal Defense, Local Government, Poverty, Stop the Sweeps, WRAP Members

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Footer

Instagram Feed

San Francisco, CA. Mayor’s Plan to Expand Shelte San Francisco, CA. Mayor’s Plan to Expand Shelter GUTS HOUSING FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES AND YOUTH 
https://wraphome.org/2023/05/31/mayors-plan-to-expand-shelter-guts-housing-for-homeless-families-and-youth/
Nationally, evictions from public housing have sur Nationally, evictions from public housing have surged since late 2021, when the federal government lifted an eviction moratorium put in place to protect renters during the pandemic, according to Peter Hepburn, associate director of Princeton University’s Eviction Lab.  https://conta.cc/3WJco9B
WRAP members and allies always tell us the vital i WRAP members and allies always tell us the vital importance of feeling connected to each other- sharing stories from our own communities, learning from past campaigns, and having artwork that we can share (and wear!) that affirms the life-saving message that we are in this together - we are not alone! 
https://conta.cc/3Wfb5Pw
Join the Coalition On Homelessness San Francisco T Join the Coalition On Homelessness San Francisco Thursday May 11 at 12 noon steps of City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
We are thrilled to announce that yesterday the fin We are thrilled to announce that yesterday the final two Aloft residents, Juilo and Alberto who we asked for the community’s support in advocating for, got a commitment from the State for housing vouchers and the City agreed to bridge them in a hotel like everyone else!! This means that NO Aloft resident was kicked to the shelters or streets due to the closure!! This is a huge testament to what is possible when everyone comes together toward a housing goal and puts their resources toward housing! 
https://conta.cc/3LYOumD
Instagram post 17977559687207330 Instagram post 17977559687207330
Of course, in a time when the poor people are demo Of course, in a time when the poor people are demonized for being poor and homeless people are increasingly seen more as something to fear rather than human beings, it’s unfortunately not all that surprising.
https://conta.cc/3HxZpkV
https://conta.cc/3HwGcQq
We are thrilled to announce that yesterday the fin We are thrilled to announce that yesterday the final two Aloft residents, Juilo and Alberto who we asked for the community’s support in advocating for, got a commitment from the State for housing vouchers and the City agreed to bridge them in a hotel like everyone else!! This means that NO Aloft resident was kicked to the shelters or streets due to the closure!! This is a huge testament to what is possible when everyone comes together toward a housing goal and puts their resources toward housing! 
https://conta.cc/3HsVsOn
Unhoused people are most often prosecuted for "cri Unhoused people are most often prosecuted for "crimes of survival," like sitting, lying down, or sleeping in public space. In order to protect people from discriminatory enforcement of laws that were created deny people their right to exist where they happen to live The Right To Rest Act was created in 2015 and is still being fought for today!!!! 
The Right 2 Rest Act did not meet the threshold to be voted out of committee this term, but this informational hearing will ensure legislators know this bill is necessary to protect our human rights to public space! 
https://conta.cc/3KSclTn
Join us to discuss the specifics of the Right to R Join us to discuss the specifics of the Right to Rest Act, HB3501:  What it is, why we need it and how we make it happen in Oregon.  https://conta.cc/3ZOeMvA
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Facebook Icon

Facebook Feed

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Listen to KALW

www.kalw.org

There are so many ways to listen to KALW: On 91.7 FM in the Bay Area. In your podcast feed. On your smart speaker ("Hey Siri, play KALW"). P...
1 day ago
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 1

Comment on Facebook

Mind telling us when, PB?

Twitter Icon

Twitter Feed

Unable to load Tweets

Follow

YouTube icon

Youtube Code

Our Channel

Copyright © 2023 Western Regional Advocacy Project WRAP · Log in