By John Vibes
Ten activists were arrested this weekend for attempting to help the homeless in the city of Denver by building tiny houses in a park. The houses were also immediately destroyed just after the arrests were made.
The activists belong to a group called Denver Homeless Out Loud, released a statement after the arrests which read:
Last night, Saturday, Oct 24th, about 70 Denver Police Department and Denver Sheriff’s Department officers, including swat units, under orders from Mayor Michael Hancock, descended on Sustainability Park and arrested 10 community members who, along with many others, were in the process of setting up a tiny home village to be occupied and managed by houseless people. The arrests, on charges of trespassing, were followed by the destruction and removal of several tiny homes which the group had constructed for houseless community members to live in. The group, led by Denver Homeless Out Loud and composed of houseless people and supporters, had been constructing tiny homes and trying to find a location for the village for over a year. But due to zoning and code constraints they have not been able to find a legal place to put the houses.
In the afternoon, while constructing tiny homes on-site, the group was visited by a representative of Denver Housing Authority, as well as by the developer. By 9pm, with a police helicopter circling overhead, the officers made the arrests and Denver Public Works destroyed, threw into dump trucks, and carted away the homes that had been so badly needed by houseless people and so lovingly constructed by those who would have lived there and their supporters.
According to the group, they originally had control of the land through an Urban Farming Cooperative, but the city decided to sell the land to a private developer.
The group was later released from prison, and they promised to continue their work despite pressure from police.
“We will not give up! We will keep fighting to defend people’s right to housing,” the group said.
If you would like to get involved with Denver Homeless Out Loud, please contact the following numbers:
Phone: (720) 940-5291
Email: [email protected]
Editor’s Note: Below is a time-lapse of the project from inception to destruction.
John Vibes writes for True Activist and is an author, researcher and investigative journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture and the drug war.
This article (10 Activists Arrested After Building Tiny Houses for the Homeless in Denver Park) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com
FREE Home = no tax on income = no profit to the top of the hierarchical pyramide = dead of profit based system!
Satanic elite can not allow FREE WATER, FREE HOMES, FREE FOOD… and work against our abundance, against our health, against our peace…
Shelter should /must be FREE to all! Not only to homeless!
GIFT ECONOMY can save us from madness
Google: “gerrilla gardening”, “vertical gardening”, create FREE services (Venus project is hijacked)
Absolutely criminal…
Along with using the police as enforcers and “destructionists,” the local Money elements use psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and the Mental “Health” Asso0ciation, and TV newscasters, to rattle away about “the homeless mentally ill.” Take particular care to note who can never be “afflicted” with any mental “illness”—the same groups persecuting the homeless. If an MD dermatologist took a hornet sting to the arm, would he/she be able to self-diagnose a skin disorder? Why is it that behaviorists never “diagnose” mental “disorders” in themselves? Ahh—their diploma immunizes them. So if a soldier has a West Point diploma, it should immunize him against being killed in combat. Mental illness does not exist in the same way that witchcraft doesn’t exist. This persecutory labeling benefiting drug companies and legitimizing persecution of economic unfortunates must stop.
Change your name to Denver Homeless Illegal Migrants and Muslims Out Loud.
What’s wrong with people? Trying to give free housing to the homeless!? TERRORISTS!
I am on their side up that people’s RIGHT to housing. There is no right to housing, but as a Christian I feel my duty to serve my fellow man. They still have to obey the laws, even while doing what they think is right. Maybe they should buy some land that is properly zoned? Is there any available? Move outside the city limits? I don’t know the laws there, but maybe they should consult a lawyer and a real estate agent? If the land belongs to some one else, why do they think they have the right to take that land from them?
How can I help? Someone tell me. [email protected]