Denver Police Took Blankets From Homeless Before Halted by Mayor

[TexasTowelie]

https://vimeo.com/193964838

Two recently captured videos have been widely circulated around social-media networks showing Denver Police officers confiscating blankets from homeless people during bitterly cold weather conditions. The officers took the items as “evidence” of people violating the city's urban camping ban.

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In another video captured by local guerrilla journalism outfit Unicorn Riot (which Westword profiled in February), Denver police officers can be seen confiscating homeless individuals’ tents near Arapahoe Street and 27th Avenue on November 28 – within 24 hours of Khalatbari capturing his own video.

The city has maintained that it is dangerous and unhealthy for anyone to be sleeping outside and aims to have all homeless individuals check into overnight shelters.

On Friday afternoon, the ACLU of Colorado sent a letter to Hancock demanding that police officers stop taking homeless peoples' blankets. The letter, which references the two videos, suggests that the city immediately suspend enforcement of its urban camping ban and focus on alternative solutions.

The complete article is at: http://www.westword.com/news/videos-of-denver-police-taking-blankets-from-homeless-have-gone-viral-8582970