Protests against city sweeping of homeless encampments in Denver

“Jesus would be probably living out here and would certainly not endorse the use of force or police to address a social problem like hunger.”

Triangle Park (formally Maestas Park) has been the center of Denver’s homeless community for decades. Located directly in front of the Denver Rescue Mission, Triangle Park is regularly filled with urban campers. More recently, residents in the increasingly gentrified neighborhood of five points consider it an eyesore.

Last week, the Denver police department began to inform residents that starting on Tuesday March 8^th, a ban on urban camping will be enforced at Triangle Park.

The residents were told that all property left unattended, would be confiscated and held for up to thirty days.

Members of the community came out to support the homeless and protest Denver’s ban on urban camping early Tuesday morning.

The demonstrators were united in supporting the homeless campers and feel that removing urban campers by force is not a long term solution to homelessness in Denver.

At the demonstration, Reverend Amanda Henderson of the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado told KGNU’s Tim Wintemute  it was her Christian duty to support the homeless “Jesus came to lift people out and to call on our humanity and our equality and we need to be asking some big questions of society because something is wrong.”

Pastor Jim Mitulski of the Metropolitan Community Church echoed Reverend Henderson’s call to support the homeless, “Jesus would be probably living out here and would certainly not endorse the use of force or police to address a social problem like hunger.”

By Tuesday afternoon, after the protesters had left, the Denver Police Department and city workers began the sweep of the homeless camps.

photos: Tim Wintemute