Urban camping: Occupy Denver protests precede council vote on ban
"I'll just be real clear: I'm very opposed to this ordinance," Shepherd said. Although she's heard the word "compassionate" broached repeatedly as an approach to the ban, she's having a hard time believing it. "I think this process has been incredibly, incredibly rushed and non-inclusive. I wish I had the strength to change some people's minds. I am so angry that I have worked my ass off over two elections to get here, and I am not going to make things more comfortable for people who already have a lot of money.
"I'm going to go down in flames on this issue in a big way on Monday," she said, before turning to her companions on the panel and telling them, "I love you guys, but you are not social workers."
Courtesy of Kendra Kellogg
Occupy Denver members would agree. On Saturday night, the group staged a protest/slumber party directly in front of the 16th Street Mall home of the Downtown Denver Partnership. Earlier in the week, the group protested against Snooze, whose co-owner, Brianna Borin, spoke in support of the ban at an earlier council meeting. Last weekend, occupiers picketed the breakfast restaurant, which employed four homeless individuals in its kitchen at the time of the protest.
During an afternoon march across the 16th Street Mall, Denver police officers followed the group's progress and dispersed warnings against blocking the street and public property. Around 7 p.m., they arrested two protesters, Patrick Boyle and Nick Mengheir, in front of the Denver Pavilions when the two briefly lay down in protest.
Today, Occupy Denver continues its opposition with an afternoon sit-in at the City and County Building, where the council will vote on the ban. From noon to 5:30 p.m., protesters will gather with blankets and sleeping bags to discuss the topic and march against it. Two council members are expected to attend.
More from our Politics archive: "Photos: Occupy Denver protests Snooze, plans Downtown Denver Partnership sleep-in."
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