Columbus Day Protests in Denver: More Than 80 Arrested; Police Use Excessive Force
October 19, 2007 on 2:53 am | In Indigenous Issues, Ward Speaks, Context
(Photo from the Try-Works.)
Protests again halted Denver’s annual celebration of the genocidal legacy of Christopher Columbus, resulting in the arrests of 88 demonstrators. Despite the fact that the protestors only engaged in passive resistance, the Denver police used excessive force on many. For news, see here and check for updates at www.transformcolumbusday.org and www.coloradoaim.org.
In 2004, Denver police arrested 244 Columbus Day protesters, including children and elders. In late January 2005, a jury acquitted the initial group of defendants (including Ward Churchill) and the City was forced to drop the remaining charges. Immediately thereafter, the local media began attacking and attempting to discredit Ward Churchill.
The Columbus Day holiday originated in Colorado 100 years ago. At that time Columbus’ legacy of murder and slave trading was being rewritten to glorify the conquest of the Americas in conjunction with the United States’ expansion and “acquisition” of colonies such as Hawai’i, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. For excellent background on Columbus and his legacy, see the award-winning documentary, “The Canary Effect”; see also a short video here.
This October, Ward Churchill and Derrick Jensen were featured in a series of events in Charlottesville, Virginia, highlighting the devastating legacy of both Columbus and the settlement of Jamestown in 1607. For details, see here and here.
