“We are first to take the “Survival Ban” to court,” say Denver’s homeless

Latest

Denver police tore blankets off of the homeless in freezing weather to be used as evidence of a camping ban, more commonly known as a “survival” ban. These three are fighting their charges in court.
PHOTO/CHRIS WALKER

 
Editor’s note:  This article was compiled from news reports and transcriptions from a video produced by Unicorn Riot.
DENVER, CO – On April 4, Jerry Burdon, Terese Howard and Randy Russell pled not guilty to charges of violating Denver’s Unauthorized Camping Ordinance, also known as the “survival ban.” “We are the first to take these tickets to court,” says Terese. This ‘survival ban’ criminalizes anyone who is resting or sleeping in a public place with anything protecting them besides their clothing! The cops tore blankets off of the homeless in freezing weather to be used as evidence against them when taken to trial, charged with violation of this mean law.
Potential jury members who had relatives who were homeless, who thought the law was unjust, or who said that they couldn’t be ‘impartial were dismissed; but a man who called the homeless ‘vagrants’ was allowed to sit on the jury. That is the way the deck is stacked and these absurd laws perpetuated.
All three defendants were found guilty of violating the ‘survival ban’ and sentenced to one year of unsupervised probation. They may appeal this unjust and inhumane ruling.
Terese Howard says, “Many people don’t realize there’s a law on the books making illegal any form of protection from the elements. This means if you’re sitting on cardboard, if you’re protecting yourself, you are considered a criminal. The law is used to try to move people out of sight, out of mind. We have been facing this for years now here in Denver. It’s getting worse and worse. It’s gotten to a point where they’ve swept everyone from everywhere they were trying to survive. They came in and gave us tickets for surviving.”

+ Articles by this author

Free to republish but please credit the People's Tribune. Visit us at www.peoplestribune.org, email peoplestribune@gmail.com, or call 773-486-3551.

The People’s Tribune brings you articles written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Unsigned articles reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: ©2024 peoplestribune.org. Please donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

Chicagoans Vow to Fight Trump’s Attack on Immigrant Workers

Chicagoans are showing that they plan to resist President Trump’s plans to mount attacks on immigrants.

A Mass Movement Will Rise to Defend Immigrants, Says Activist

Right now there is no coordinated national mass movement to defend immigrants, but there will be, says human rights activist Camilo Pérez-Bustillo in this interview with the People's Tribune.

L.A. Fires: Climate Campaigners Say ‘Big Oil Did This’

Climate campaigners said blame for the catastrophe in L.A. ultimately lies with the mega-profitable oil and gas giants that have spent decades  knowingly fueling the crisis.

Collective Defense of Immigrant Rights is Key, Says Advocate

In this interview with the People's Tribune, Pedro Rios, director of the AFSC's US/Mexico Border Program, describes the likely shape of Trump's planned immigration crackdown, and how people are organizing to resist it.

US Workers Won Key Victories in 2024, But Hard Fight Lies Ahead

With strikes and the threat of strikes, workers did more than forestall concessions: They gained ground. With Trump, expect attacks on unions, safety regulations, and the very idea of labor law..

More from the People's Tribune