Jeanette Vizguerra’s legal fight to stay in the United States is not finished yet, but it’s closer than ever to reaching the conclusion she, her family and supporters fear the most. Her request for a work visa that would allow her to pursue legal citizenship was denied…
Update: Two of the charges incurred by supporters of Occupy Denver in recent weeks were dropped over the weekend when the city attorney’s office decided against officially filing in both cases. The most notable of the two instances is that of Natalie Wyatt, who has since enlisted as a plaintiff…
When you’ve spent close to three decades as one of America’s leading opponents of capital punishment, you develop an understanding of what states truly have the will to execute their condemned. And Sister Helen Prejean, the Dead Man Walking author who’s in Aurora tonight for a public talk on vengeance,…
If you’re not occupying any other public space in central Denver today, it might be time to visit the Colorado Capitol building and climb those 99 steps from the third floor to the dome observation area. Tomorrow will be too late, since the dome is closing for repairs until some…
A local Latina advocacy group is asking women to call President Obama and give him an earful about birth control. The details are complicated: As explained in this Washington Post story, Catholic bishops are pressuring Obama to dilute a proposed rule that would allow women access to birth control without…
It’s not a new tactic, but for some, it might be a surprising one: One of the ways the Denver Police Department has checked the identities of those faced with warrants for Occupy Denver is through online archival footage, including the average YouTube search. Previously anonymous protesters can be –…
If Occupy Wall Street is easy to criticize, it’s also a movement with which many politicians can find common ground. In the past month, Democratic Representatives Jim McGovern and Ted Deutch have introduced drafts of amendments to the U.S. Constitution that reflect the ideals of the 99 percent with a…
The so-called Personhood Amendment, which holds that the term “person” applies to humans from their biological starting point, failed in Colorado in 2008 and 2010 — but last week, organizers filed new language with the goal of putting the measure on the 2012 ballot. What will be different this time…
In June, we told you about an immigration raid on Morgan County’s Wildcat Dairy that led to the arrests of eleven workers and caused fear among many others. This week, the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition announced that while five of the workers have already been deported, the criminal charges –…
Depending upon what you’d expect of a Thanksgiving spent with Occupy Denver in the Angriest City in America, you might or might not be surprised to learn what was on the menu. Including a short (but sweet) police chase…
The Thunderdome’s brief meeting with Governor John Hickenlooper has been captured on video — and on YouTube — and you can watch it below. Pay special attention around the 3:53 mark, when Hickenlooper exits the Denver Rescue Mission and is immediately subject to loud questions from the protesters. Corey Donahue…
Thanksgiving began a day early — and a bit shaky — for Occupy Denver this morning when the group’s kitchen collective, the Thunderdome, took to the Denver Rescue Mission to confront Mayor Michael Hancock and Governor John Hickenlooper. The politicians acted as symbolic hosts of a holiday benefit to feed…
Today marks the two-month anniversary of Occupy Denver, a movement cemented in three firm evictions, four large-scale altercations, eight Saturday marches, and more than eighty arrests, many of them repeat charges. Six days after the anniversary of Occupy Wall Street, the branch that started it all, Occupy Denver will continue…
In light of the recent creation of Liberate Denver, an occupation offshoot focused on safer spaces and better internal relationships, Occupy Denver proper has had a few decisions to make. Last night, this meant a vote to officially recognize the roles of the female and LGBTQ members inside the movement…
In a video captured on Occupy Boulder’s livestream earlier this week, Boulder Police Officer Abel Ramos is seen presenting the gathering with “good news… The Chief of Police and the county commissioner have entered into this agreement, and we’re just going to let you do what you do. You guys…
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…
