According to the Dictionary of Politics and Government the definition of terrorism is, "the use of acts of public violence to achieve political change."
Late Thursday night November 10, an Occupy Denver tent was ripped open by a police officer who gave an eviction notice followed by vulgarity and threats to leave. On Saturday November 13, 2011, following a march against corporate personhood police brutally attacked protesters in Denver.
Protesters began marching towards 16th street Mall in the late afternoon Saturday and were blocked by police in riot gear. Around 7:30 p.m. in front of the new H&M store on 16th St. Mall a man was hit by a motorcycle cop then arrested. The Denver Anarchist Black Cross (DABC) found out that the man hit by the police motorcycle was also charged with assault after being hospitalized. Occupy Denver also commented on the violent police raid stating:
“Officers assaulted demonstrators who were just standing on the sidelines. An officer waited until a protester turned around and hit him in the back three times. They assaulted people verbally, including threats to "break the teeth" of protesters. One officer told another officer to ‘SHOOT EM!! SHOOT EM NOW!’ One protester was struck by an officer on a motorcycle and was hospitalized. Protesters were kettled and shot with pepper-balls, according to Colorado Street Medics, who found pepper-ball shells at the scene of last night's incident.”
A woman at the general assembly on Sunday November 13 stated that they saw a man on his bike ride into the park and get tackled by four police officers. Police used excessive force using smoke, fire extinguishers, pepper bombs, and rubber bullets on protesters who were not attacking. Protesters were attacked and harassed by police on 14th and Speer near the theater district as well. The police presence resulted in the closing of 16th St. Mall’s bus system to provide civilian safety.
Kathryn who is from the DABC where she helps post bond for arrested protesters, stated that the Denver jail was on lock down the night of November 12. As a result the DABC was unable to visit anyone arrested and unable to bail anyone out. When the Denver County Court was questioned they commented that their system was down. Kathryn attended court Sunday morning where the judge banned anyone from taking notes. The judge also raised the protesters bail from $100.00 to $750.00 a person. Kathryn also mentioned how the arrested protesters were limping and were obviously injured.
It did not take a lawyer to notice that constitutional rights and even the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights were compromised yesterday amidst the police violence. Witnessing protesters being followed and cars being pulled over for honking during the raid was shocking to see in America. “I felt like I was in an American Science Fiction movie,” a woman stated before explaining that she saw cars being followed and pulled over after honking in solidarity with the protesters during the raid. The scene looked like it was being dramatized from a George Orwell novel. According to the Dictionary of Politics and Government the definition of terrorism is, "the use of acts of public violence to achieve political change."
1997 Nobel Prize winner Jody Williams briefly spoke at the general assembly Sunday and explained that people need to not doubt themselves and keep fighting for change, because sooner or later it will come.
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