#OccupyDenver: After A Weekend Of Arrests And Record Numbers At Marches, Demonstrators Are Not Going Anywhere (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

The tactics used by the state and city to disperse, discourage or shut down the Occupy Denver movement only seem to be making the protesters more determined and their numbers larger.

It was a monumental weekend for Occupy Denver. In the early morning hours of Friday, they were forcibly removed from Lincoln Park by police in riot gear and have been indefinitely kept from gathering at their former main campsite since. Nearly two dozen were arrested, according to The Associated Press.

What could have derailed a movement that had been gaining momentum during its more than three week existence in Denver did the exact opposite -- it energized the protesters. As evidenced by Occupy Denver’s largest protest march to date on Saturday. The Denver Post estimated at least 2,000 demonstrators marched on Saturday while Occupy Denver’s Facebook page estimated 4,000 to 5,000 were in attendance. Saturday's march also led to more clashes with police and another 25 protesters were arrested.

A smaller group of several hundred gathered in Civic Center Park on Sunday and did not block any streets or clash with Denver police which had led to the arrests earlier in the weekend, 7News reports.

Now on Monday, Occupy Denver is trying to reach a deal with Mayor Hancock’s and Governor Hickenlooper’s offices that would allow them to remain at Civic Center Park indefinitely, Fox31 reports. The members of Occupy Denver are requesting portable toilets and cooking stations in the park.

And Hickenlooper's office may be the only reliable place for protesters to reach the governor now. At the time of publishing on Monday, Facebook users can no longer leave a message on Hickenlooper's Facebook page, the "Post" function has been disabled. Supporters of the downtown occupation continue to comment on unrelated posts, but the free form posting on the governor's Facebook wall, which over the last couple of weeks had become a lively forum for Occupy Denver supporters to leave messages for the governor expressing their discontent with the governor's and mayor's treatment of the protesters, is gone as are the posts that were left. (UPDATE: As of Monday afternoon, Hickenlooper's Facebook page "Post" function has been turned back on.)

A call to the governor's office Monday morning as to why the "Post" function was disabled was not immediately returned.

Even pro bono legal support for those that have been arrested in Denver has surfaced. The Denver Post reports that more than 20 lawyers have volunteered their services to arrested protesters.

Occupy Denver has also started a petition on their website to encourage Gov. Hickenlooper to stop the arrests of the Occupy Denver members so they can gather and express their First Amendment rights peacefully. 9News reports that it is becoming expensive for law enforcement to maintain a larger than normal police operation at the park. It’s not clear how much tax dollars are going to funding a police presence around the Denver protesters, but in other cities like New York it costs police 80,000 a day.

Watch police spraying Occupy Denver protesters on Saturday night - [via OccupyDenver.org, WARNING: Strong language audible in video]:

Comments

[Enock Zamora]

08:13 PM on 10/28/2011

I am going to be with the 99% on the Sabbath this Saturday. With camcorder in hand, I am going to walk my talk. I encourage others to be there.

[R Harvey]

10:34 AM on 10/23/2011

Coincidence that 99 is the number of weeks of unemployment and the number adopted by the Occupy protesters?

[Jordan A Meyer]

06:34 PM on 10/21/2011

I'm not a supporter of the "Occupy" movement, but it really does seem ridiculous that a politician (especially a governor) would think they could just turn off public opinion if it was bothering them.

[johneudicone]

11:39 PM on 10/21/2011

you are in the 1%?

[Jordan A Meyer]

01:54 PM on 10/27/2011

No. I'm not in the 1%. I'm just not for the cause of the Occupy movement.

[Robert E Alexander]

07:22 PM on 10/20/2011

Why do the police have to stay around the protesters? They are just invoking their right to peaceful assembly. My feeling is that they are going to try to use O/T expenses as a 'reason' to try and break up these occupations. I am sure that these people are capable of calling the police in when they are needed.

[R Harvey]

10:36 AM on 10/23/2011

To protect those who simply do not want to be harassed by the protesters, It is part of their job.

[DuaneBidoux]

03:07 PM on 10/18/2011

The more arrests that are made at any location the bigger the demonstrations will get.

[cwaged1002]

12:09 PM on 10/18/2011

When Hickenlooper was the Mayor of Denver he wanted to turn city Parks into a private sector paradise with restaurants, bars, and admission only activities. He only won the governors race because his opponent was a tea party wacko. Being the vulture Capitalist that he is, he will no doubt end the Occupy Denver Movement by whatever means necessary.

[Richard in CO]

02:52 AM on 10/18/2011

Best advice to all police and authorities nationwide: leave the protestors alone, do not try to disperse. Tough tactics will result in backlash action - huge increase in the number of protestors, as well as possible violence, to no purpose. The authorities must act with Wisdom in this affair. Do your duty to Protect and to Serve, and don't let professional Vanity (because 2,000 people will not do as you command) lead you down a dark path.

I am firmly on the side of the Protestors. But, if they are to remain peaceful, they cannot be rousted, arrested, "kettled", etc.. "Get-tough" treatment will be a catalyst for many negative things.

[lbrillante]

01:21 AM on 10/18/2011

I was with Occupy Denver until Sunday. Some problems with not following through with the decisions of fhe GA and an inner group making too many decision for the group made me finally decide to leave. I wish them well. I will Occupy somewhere else. I was there though standing with my sign while state troopers in full riot gear stood within feet of me. I stood by myself on a corner when the police moved traffic because the protesters were dancing around in the street between the cars. I just followed the police and there was one cop and just me on the corner with my sign... lots of traffic there though lol.

[stargazer13]

12:40 AM on 10/18/2011

Denver Home of my birth pride of my heart

what are you doing to your people ??

[CactusChris]

12:27 AM on 10/18/2011

Is it snowing yet ? lol

[Icantbelieveher]

08:04 AM on 10/18/2011

We're having record highs here in Denver, thanks to climate change.

[CactusChris]

04:30 PM on 10/18/2011

BAhahahahahah.....hahahahah. ! That man made climate change right....lol.

[legalaid]

12:00 AM on 10/18/2011

No one is paying attention to OWS:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/18/opinion/the-great-restoration.html?hp

[stargazer13]

12:43 AM on 10/18/2011

forth estate has fail and is not fit for America duty :)

sorry ! jig is up Game is over !! so says 99 % of the world,s people

[katieb49]

11:00 PM on 10/17/2011

All the police power being wasted here and in New York is gypping the rest of the city out of police protection from murders, thieves and rapists. Is this anything to feel good about? I never heard of one incident like this taking part at the tea party demos and yet....this mess is getting all the media coverage and support (apparently) it desires. What a huge farce! It just jealousy and and I can think of better ways to call attention to the problem the protestors have with the bail out...go march right up to Obama's door and hold up your pitchforks! He's the one who ultimately let the bailouts and tarp go through! And too, the tea party demonstrators didn't leave the incredible mess all of the protestors are!!!!!

[wagthedog1001]

12:27 AM on 10/18/2011

Much of the interaction between the #Occupy groups and police isn't even started by the protesters. Also I hate to burst your bubble but this whole mess and the TARP bailout came before President Obama was even elected. AND as I recall those town hall meetings where the Tea Party people were screaming at their elected officials: "Keep Government out of my Medicare" and bringing guns? That wasn't confrontational?

All political protests are by nature fairly disorganized. One side is no better than the other. Stop re-writing history to suit your pre-conceived ideas.

"Under our proposal, the federal government would put up to $700 billion taxpayer dollars on the line to purchase troubled assets that are clogging the financial system." George W. Bush September 28, 2008

[Doug Dougie Jaeger]

08:04 PM on 10/22/2011

It was bad when Bush did it, it was doubly bad when Obama doubled down and then decided to bail out Detroit as well. The auto makers should have filed bankruptcy and reorganized. Chrysler did it once before and bounced back, why not do it again.... Waste of my money, and a shift of power to the unions....

[lbrillante]

01:22 AM on 10/18/2011

Other countries take to the streets regularly to remind their government that they have power. It is considered patriotic.

[TheDonald1000]

08:51 PM on 10/17/2011

This article says that the protesters are all back after the weekend??? Fat chance. I work downtown and there are maybe 20 people in the park, and probably half of them are homeless. Thanks Governer Hickenlooper for enforcing the law equally on everyone.

[mehurst]

07:50 PM on 10/17/2011

Hey, we had some arrests in Phoenix on Saturday too! Don't forget us!

[TaxpayingVoter]

08:29 PM on 10/17/2011

Too bad there isn't a Huffpost Phoenix.

[sheoples]

05:54 PM on 10/17/2011

"In matters of principle, stand like a rock."
-- Thomas Jefferson

[Lunamoth]

06:16 PM on 10/17/2011

Great quote, Sheoples.

[Changeover]

12:01 AM on 10/18/2011

I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them

TJ (The Real Deal)