Colorado’s 6th Congressional District has been a safe Republican enclave — the sort of place likely to elect current representative Mike Coffman for as long as he cares to serve in Congress. But a judge recently redrew lines to make the district more competitive, thereby giving an actual chance to…
If you had to compare another Colorado occupation to that of Occupy Denver, Occupy Colorado Springs might provide one of the most stark contrasts. As of early this morning, however, both groups share recent and complete evictions off of city property. Around 1 a.m., the Colorado Springs Police Department removed…
There is no end to the dog puns that can and have been made about Border Collie-mix Shelby’s appointment as the leader of Occupy Denver’s leaderless movement. Westword will be doggone if we haven’t heard the full range of them since we announced her term exactly two weeks ago. But…
Occupy Denver’s sphere of influence (and the bad PR it occasionally invites upon city officials) has traveled well beyond Colorado borders, and its most recent stop earned it a spot in Connecticut. On Thursday, students at Governor John Hickenlooper’s alma mater of Wesleyan University took official offense to the graduate’s…
Westword has been present at every Sunday-morning arraignment related to Occupy Denver arrests. It was only this past Sunday, however, that I was forbidden by the court from recording anything while inside. The recent ban on anyone other than lawyers taking notes on the arrests and bond rates marks the…
Local immigration advocates are cautiously optimistic about a pilot project to review open immigration cases in Denver and close those deemed to be of low priority. The program, described in this New York Times story, comes on the heels of a memo from the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement…
The Denver District Attorney’s Office has formally announced felony counts against a trio of Occupy Denver protesters: Corey Donahue, Sean Driggers and Brandon Sexton. What led to these charges? Denver Police statements of probable cause on view below offer the cops’ side of the story…
Today’s initial celebration of Occupy Wall Street’s two-month anniversary ended with the largest display of honks from passing cars the local movement has heard in a while (at least without a ticket). The day has been designated a national cause for action for occupations across the world, and Occupy Denver…
A study by researchers at the National Institute of Corrections has found that Colorado’s approach to locking down its most unruly prisoners in 23-hour-a-day isolation is “basically sound” — but could be used a lot less. Instead, even as the state’s prison population is declining slightly, the use of “administrative…
November 17’s a day of action for Occupy Denver, which is marking the two-month anniversary of Occupy Wall Street. That could mean more arrests, and more suggestions by critics that the protests are dominated by longtime criminals. But a report about the arrest records of OD types busted this past…
Courtesy of Tim TiptonFor two days, the additional presence of police officers and Parks and Recreation maintenance workers has occasionally dwarfed the numbers of actual occupiers at Civic Center Park. Since Saturday’s riot, officers have increased their numbers at the occupation in efforts to monitor the group, but Public Works…
The number of late-night attacks and robberies on the streets of Capitol Hill is up significantly over last year’s pace, raising questions about the safety level in the city’s core and whether police are cutting back on patrols of the area to deal with Occupy Denver protesters and the weekend…
The term “Obamacare” was originally conceived by opponents of President Barack Obama’s health-care reforms as a way of hanging what they saw as a political albatross around his neck. But now, a group of Colorado activists have embraced the word with ThanksObamacare.org, a website that celebrates the legislation by way…
Daniel Garcia’s Saturday night ended with an unwanted surprise. While driving downtown after the night’s police raid on Occupy Denver, Garcia chose to publicly support the group by honking his horn. This, he would quickly learn, is technically illegal. Thanks to “either two or three honks,” he says, Garcia was…
Pueblo Democrat Sal Pace is giving up his post as minority leader of the Colorado House. But he’s not resigning as representative for House District 46, and neither is he making a break with politics. Far from it: He plans to run against Scott Tipton in the 3rd Congressional District…
In the wake of the largest upheaval in the occupation since its eviction from Lincoln Park, Occupy Denver’s focus is firmly on taking the steps necessary to guarantee a safer and more permanent future. One option the group recently voted to support is taking steps toward financial security by establishing…
At noon today, Civic Center Park held a meager 12 protesters. It is the second home of Occupy Denver, and chances are it might not be the last, but it is this park where Charles Howe and Barbara Gawlowski are watching their 6-year-old daughter Jezebel pick up a “staple” she…
An early morning phone call with John (“J.T.”) Sexton reveals two things: He is good with mornings, and he is elated. For the past two weeks, an investigation for felony assault on a police officer has trailed the Occupy Denver protester like a minor plague, and it has ruined both…
While neither Occupy Denver nor its donors have been getting much love from the Denver Police Department, at least OD dog leader Shelby is generating good publicity nationwide. Last night, the pooch scored airtime on Rachel Maddow’s MSNBC program courtesy of a photo and quote from Kelsey Whipple’s coverage. And…
To give to Occupy Denver, a movement that depends considerably upon large and frequent donations, you have several options. The easiest is simply to drive by the occupation between 14th and Colfax on Broadway and put on your hazard lights for about two minutes while protesters help you remove whatever…
With 23 arrests related to Occupy Denver this weekend, the group’s legal team is constantly adapting. This includes a new decision to request that arrestees go through the public defender’s office instead of receiving volunteer counsel, as well as frequent reflections on precedents. At this weekend’s arraignment, occupation legal strategist…
In the wake of twenty new Occupy Denver arrests made Saturday, three more were added to that list when Civic Center Park grew tense again last night. During an attempt to remove a newly established table from the curb, about thirty officers visited the park and dispensed pepper spray on…
