Denver, CO. Exposing excessive police ticketing of anti-houseless crimes under Mayor Johnston’s administration Press Conference

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The Denver Pay: $175 Million for Looks & State Crooks Protest

On October 4th there will be a grand re-opening event, called “The Denver Way”, for 16th Street after spending $175million for a revamp. Mayor Johnston and the Downtown Denver Business Partnership will be celebrating this investment in downtown image and increased policing of houseless people out of sight. We will be protesting this!

Join us for “The Denver Pay: $175 Million for Looks & State Crooks Protest” starting at the Downtown Denver Business Partnership office at 16th and Arapahoe at 1pm and then marching down 16th street to their re-opening festivities.

While Mayor Johnston tries so hard to look progressive, in actuality he is using the same hateful anti-houseless enforcement that Trump has ordered. Enforcement to get houseless people out of sight has increased significantly under Mayor Johnston (see data just released here). Whereas 3 years ago you could use a tent or tarp to stay out of the elements when you had no housing, now police stop you the minute you put up a tent and force you to take it down (or trash it themselves). If you are sitting on a sidewalk, police have been saying you are loitering and forcing you to move, even though there is no loitering law on public sidewalks. The drive to push houseless people, especially black and brown houseless people, out of sight is today’s version of the New Jim Crow.

The Mayor’s spending priorities continually put luxuries for the rich over basic needs for the poor. From his proposed City budget that gives 40% of the general fund money to ’Safety’ Police and Jails and 4% to housing and houseless services, to his $70mil investment in a new women’s soccer stadium, to $2mil on pickle ball, and on and on, Mayor Johnston continues to show his real priorities are not for houseless people. At least 280 families are houseless on a waiting list for shelter and meanwhile we are spending $175mil as a City to revamp 16th.

We are demanding this inhumanity stop.

Read our open letter to the Mayor (attached).

Join us October 4th to make this cry from the streets heard.