Reader accuses Denver cops of breaking "Stop Police Oppression" banner at march

Kelsey Whipple's coverage of Occupy Denver's Anaheim solidarity march on Sunday noted protesters' claim that four people were arrested at the rally. Shortly after the piece went live, we heard from one person who says she was among those taken into custody -- and her account suggests she's been shaken...

By Michael Roberts

July 31, 2012

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Kelsey Whipple's coverage of Occupy Denver's Anaheim solidarity march on Sunday noted protesters' claim that four people were arrested at the rally. Shortly after the piece went live, we heard from one person who says she was among those taken into custody -- and her account suggests she's been shaken by the experience.

scaredofpolice77 writes:

I was one of those arrested [Sunday]. I am now safely at home and will return to court next month. I don't want to go into too much detail in this public forum, but DPD intimidated, stole from, and violated the rights of peaceably assembled US citizens yesterday in broad daylight. They even went so far as to break the banner that said "Stop Police Oppression." This is my first arrest. I am 25 years old, female. I will never look at police the same way again after what I saw in the last 24 hours. They do not respect democracy and the voices of the people. I am not even sure they respect the law and their roles as executives of it.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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