Events
Podcast
Columns
Library
Contact
Sep 21, 19
Filed under: Action, Anarchist Movement, Central, Incarceration
Report from ongoing anti-ICE actions in Aurora, Colorado.
We were at the noise demo last night outside of Johnny Choate’s house, the warden of the ICE concentration camp in Aurora that’s run by GEO. We had at least 200 people show up, which was more than double we expected. Police response was gnarly, maybe 40 Aurora PD? Many of them in riot gear and wielding batons and what were presumably “less-than-lethal” guns. They pointed those at a group of teenagers who just marching and chanting like the rest of us.
What I saw tonite by many of U who protested in residential cmty w/children was vile&disgusting. @AuroraPD protects free speech, but your message was completely lost. U were out of your league. My cops were simply AMAZING despite your attempts to bait them into a confrontation! pic.twitter.com/nMwvsZekNH
— Chief Nick Metz (@APDChiefMetz) September 20, 2019
We walked up and the down the neighborhood on the sidewalk with police cars and motorcycles following us. The motorcycles moved onto the sidewalk to push the march along, almost hitting a NLG legal observer repeatedly. We were basically kettled in the entire time. APD arrested two people with musical instruments and gave someone a citation for using a laser pointer. We kept it super tight, legal, and peaceful, but I think they felt they needed to arrest some people because they’re embarrassed that they just watched as protesters took down those flags in July.
It was some real left unity shit. Anarchists, CP=USA, DSA, Denver Communists (former ISO), local punks, IWW, WILD, and more were all there and we all kept tight.
5 Proud Boys tailed the protest with a megaphone, including Louis Huey (2nd Degree) and Joshua Frashuer (4th Degree and lives in this neighborhood) where in attendance, which honestly helped because it was a noise demo and almost no one could hear what they were saying. Aurora PD was very friendly to them and laughed at their jokes.
Local journalists congratulated Aurora PD for keeping the neighborhoods safe which is wild (but unsurprising) considering this was a public event that was planned from the start to be totally peaceful and legal. Aurora PD chief Chris Metz came out with some total chud speak condemning the protest and mocking us.
Aurora, Colorado.
Telling ICE workers to quit their jobs.
— Joshua Potash ? (@JoshuaPotash) September 20, 2019
GEO and the Colorado GOP have condemned this protest, stating that we won’t be effective and that we should stick to voting instead, which in my opinion, tells us loud and clear that this is an effective tactic and that we should do more of it.
It’s important to remember that the Aurora PD Police union endorsed Donald Trump in 2016. They also put out a $4,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of individuals involved in the July 12th protest at the Aurora ICE concentration camp that Choate runs, where a US flag was replaced with a Mexican flag. They offer $1,000 rewards for murders and bank robberies.
