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| credit: Kimberly Howland |
City and state police attacked Occupy Denver - once again - this Saturday. The exhibition of brute force lasted for several hours. After several accounts of physical and chemical assaults on The People, the police destroyed, confiscated, and disposed of their food, tents and comfort supplies. One young occupier on site reported that during the police violence, his 17 year old girlfriend was struck in the back of the head with a nightstick. He then showed the live feed camera a swollen knuckle on his hand - also from a nightstick, according to him.
One woman reported that she had been, "gassed, maced, and shot in the butt." The reports of these such claims are plentiful throughout Occupy Denver right now. One 21 year old was shot down out of a tree in the park from which he apparently intended on waiting out the police assault. When the police were done forcefully removing the peaceful assembly by way of tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, nightsticks and arrest, they began dismantling the Occupy Denver encampment.
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| credit: Kimberly Howland |
The police destruction of The People's occupation of the public space lasted into the night. Public Works cooperated with police efforts by supplying garbage trucks for them to dispense The Peoples tents, food and supplies into. Only fifteen minutes after the police had gone, The People began rebuilding.
Donations began pouring in as soon as the coast was clear. New blankets, tarps, food and other supplies began showing up by the car load. Passerby's honked their car horns regularly in support of the occupiers. Many even shouted from their car windows, messages of support and praise. Some pulled over in order to more personally show their solidarity with the occupiers - and to thank them for occupying in their stead.
Spirits were high immediately following the police assault on Occupy Denver this Saturday. This was not the first time the police in Denver had evicted the occupiers from public space. One occupier already hard at work organizing new supplies commented, "We're getting very good at rebuilding." Another who took quick action to rebuild the camp remarked that these such acts by the police are "a great display of our will - and of the lack of their power."
About an hour after the police had left, the live feed camera found a new kitchen set up on the sidewalk just outside of the park. When the live feed approached a girl preparing food, she told the camera person, "You're the reason that we're here right now. We were watching earlier and we saw them throwing the food away, so we came and brought this. So, thank you!"
The People of Occupy Denver seemed oddly grateful for another police attack on their liberties, their property, and even on their persons. Discussions following the event included expressions of self-awareness and praise for the groups evermore sharpened abilities in maintaining non-violence while having violence thrust upon them. They also discussed how each attack on their liberties is another great example of exactly what is wrong with our institutions.
The People of Occupy Denver seemed oddly grateful for another police attack on their liberties, their property, and even on their persons. Discussions following the event included expressions of self-awareness and praise for the groups evermore sharpened abilities in maintaining non-violence while having violence thrust upon them. They also discussed how each attack on their liberties is another great example of exactly what is wrong with our institutions.
Every time the government's police force attacks a peaceful assembly of The People, it shows itself to be an invalid authority. It shows itself to be working against the interests of The People. It shows itself to be working against the interests of peace.
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| credit: Kimberly Howland |
