🦄 Police

Remembering Paul Castaway: Killed by Denver Police

On July 12, 2015, Denver Police officer Michael Traudt fatally shot 35-year-old father of one and Rosebud Sioux tribal member, Paul Castaway, after responding to a mental health crisis help call placed by Castaway’s mother. Despite struggling with the trauma since the tragic killing, Castaway’s…

🦄 Police, Racism & Far-Right

Alonzo Ashley Memorialized at Denver Zoo

Denver, CO – Ten years after 29-year-old Black man Alonzo Ashley had a fatal encounter with Denver Police at the Denver Zoo, his family, friends, and the greater community finally received some justice. Although no criminal charges were ever filed against anyone involved, on October…

🦄 Land & Housing, Racism & Far-Right

Denver Refuses to Negotiate, Sweeps Indigenous Encampment

Denver, CO – Under the hardline stance of Mayor Michael Hancock, Denver continues to sweep unhoused encampments—more than 80 this year alone—ignoring countless requests from unhoused residents and their advocates to stop, and refusing to negotiate any alternatives. Outside the Four Winds American Indian Council…

🦄 Community, COVID-19

Denver Sweeps 300+ Tent Encampment Residents

Denver, CO – The largest tent encampment in the city, which sprung up in October 2019, is being cleared early Monday morning as about 60 advocates protest the move.

Unicorn Riot is on-the-ground covering the sweep, with live coverage starting at 5AM.

Residents at the…

🦄 Protest & Direct Action

Seven Arrested at Action Against Houseless Sweeps

Denver, CO – Nearly two hours before sunrise, advocates of the local unhoused community took part in a non-violent direct action (NVDA) in an attempt to stop a sweep of a tent encampment on Tuesday, November 17.

A line of about 20 advocates with linked…

🦄 Protest & Direct Action

Unhoused Residents Find Refuge at Downtown Vigil

Denver, CO – A four-day Race and Homelessness Vigil began early Wednesday morning opposite the Denver City and County Building. It began primarily as a space to educate the local community on how Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are disproportionately affected by houselessness,…

🦄 Police, Racism & Far-Right

Denver Rallies in Solidarity with Breonna Taylor

Denver, CO – Protests filled city streets all across the country Wednesday night, including in Denver, where hundreds rallied at the Colorado State Capitol and then marched throughout downtown. Earlier in the day, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) announced that no charges would be…

🦄 Investigative, Police

Denver Police Cash In on Houseless Encampment Clean-Ups

Denver, CO – For nearly eight years Denver police officers, public works employees, park rangers, and occasionally inmates have been carrying out and enforcing the Unauthorized Camping Ordinance (camping ban) signed into law by Mayor Michael Hancock during his first term in 2012. When investigating…

🦄 Social Control

Advocates Demand Denver Protect Rights of People Without Homes

Denver, CO – In the afternoon of October 21, 2019, local advocacy group Denver Homeless Out Loud (DHOL), along with other social justice and human rights groups, held a rally outside City Hall to continue to demand that the city government take action in support…

🦄 Investigative

Denver Paid Clean-Up Company $400,000 to Help in Houseless Sweeps

Denver, CO – For at least two years, the city of Denver has been contracting Custom Environmental Services, Inc. (CES) to assist in clearing out camps of people without housing. Unicorn Riot filed Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) requests and received about 50 invoices sent…

🦄 Social Control

New Initiative Pursues Human Rights for All in Denver

Denver, CO – Over the past six months, with the direction of Denver Homeless Out Loud (DHOL), community members gathered nearly 10,000 petition signatures to get the Denver Right to Survive Initiative on the city’s May 2019 municipal ballot.
The ballot initiative asks:
“Shall the…

🦄 Police, Social Control

Denver Police, City Workers Throw Away Belongings Amid Lawsuit

Denver, CO – On July 9 and 12, 2018, Denver Homeless Out Loud (DHOL), an advocacy group for people without housing, published two videos documenting Denver police and city workers seizing people’s belongings and throwing them away; also known as “sweeps.”
These ongoing sweeps continue…

🦄 Community

Denver Sweeps Unhoused Residents Amid Class Action Lawsuit

Denver, CO – On Friday, May 19, 2017, people living without housing in downtown Denver were approached by police and given the equivalent of eviction notices. These interactions with the Denver police are not new or surprising for unhoused residents, but these most recent interactions…

🦄 Racism & Far-Right

Denver’s Pro-Trump Rally Immobilized by Anti-Trump Radicals

Denver, CO – Saturday March 25 Pro-Trump supporters under the Facebook group “Make America Great Again” called for a Colorado MAGA March at the state capitol in Denver.  Anti-fascist/anti-racist group, The People’s Protection League, organized a counter demonstration.  “The People They Hate Make America Great” …

🦄 Protest & Direct Action, Racism & Far-Right

Denver Antifascists Oppose Right-Wing Turning Point USA Conference at Grand Hyatt

Denver, CO – On Saturday, March 18, the right-wing group “Turning Point USA” (TPUSA) held its Mountain Western Regional Conference at the Grand Hyatt Denver. Antifascist activists confronted attendees; five people were arrested. Turning Point, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, primarily markets right-wing ideologies to students…

🦄 Community

Black Bloc Confronts March 4 Trump in Denver

Denver, CO – As part of the national call to show support for Trump, Denver held a “March 4 Trump” at the capitol building. A counter event was called by the Denver Action Network to disrupt the rally. Unicorn riot was live in downtown Denver…