Thus far, the post has collected 129 comments, and they keep coming. Look below for our previous coverage.
Original item, 6:27 a.m. October 14: At 4:56 a.m., over an hour after various authorities started dismantling Occupy Denver's tent city and rousting protesters, the Colorado State Patrol sent out a press release declaring that supervisors were "pleased" by how the operation was going. Meanwhile, the demonstrators remain defiant, as their Facebook posts indicate.
Here's the complete CSP release:
The Colorado State Patrol is pleased with the progress thus far on the operation to clear Veteran's Park. Due to clean up work that will continue for several hours, Governor Hickenlooper has issued an Executive Order to close Veteran's Park until further notice."We appreciate the cooperation of those individuals who chose to exit the park prior to 11 p.m.," said Colonel James Wolfinbarger, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. "The CSP has not made any arrests and will continue to monitor the park during the cleanup operation."
Meanwhile, the Occupy Denver Facebook page has been regularly updated throughout the night (unlike its main website). Here's a post from just over three hours ago:
COPS have landed and told us 3:15 everyone will be arrested that are still here. Not many are leaving.
Followed by...
Police are moving in...
There's a MASS of riot patrol surrounding Lincoln Park! 200 maybe -- arrests are very close to going down now...
Tents and infrastructure being torn down...
No arrests yet! Cops in riot gear taking down camp :( "This is what a police state looks like"... "Shame, shame, shame"... Go the chants...
Then, just over two hours ago...
One more hour!
This post suggests the 99 percent believed that at 5 a.m., they'd be allowed to stay -- echoing statements made at a John Hickenlooper-Michael Hancock-John Suthers press conference yesterday. As reporter Kelsey Whipple wrote in that item: "Protesters may continue the occupation, which is held on state property, from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m., but are forbidden from staying overnight any longer."
But no: Just over an hour ago came this post:
Park is closed indefinitely, but still no arrests. Way to hold your ground and remain peaceful everyone!
Far from being freaked out by this change, however, the Facebook crowd responded with a note that looks ahead:
Is it time to talk about our next move yet? Don't forget there's another rally/march Saturday at the Capital at Noon!
The comments prompted by this item includes pledges of moral support from Occupy Wall Street forces in New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and more. Also included is media analysis based on the coverage being offered by local TV stations. Two examples:
The spokesman you've got on-air with 9 right now is great. Please keep him in front of the cameras. He is articulate and the sort of presence you need talking to the media. I know you want to be decentralized but your media message is critical.
Give the food and tents to the homeless! It is disgusting that protesters asked for food and supplies to be delivered to them as they occupy homeless "hangouts" -- Be your OWN revolution and be self sufficient. Share your meal with someone who forgot what a meal is! Donate all the tents. Activism trumps whineism every time. KGNU.org and FreeSpeechTV are your media allies... Blackout the affilaites and major channels. If you MUST be on camera for mom to see, at least spread misinformation to keep the pigs busy...
As we publish, helicopters continue to zoom over the onetime tent city site, and traffic reports focus on the closure of streets at or near the intersection of Broadway and Colfax. Here's betting the Occupy Denver crowd has more important things to think about than how much they disrupting the Friday morning commute.
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More from our Videos archive: "Occupy Denver video collection chronicles ongoing protests."
