Five Community Organizers Arrested by FBI, Denver PD

The group was walking down 12th St. where they were detained and arrested by police and federal agents. A companion of the five, Dave, said that one of the four was arrested while trying to give out the legal number (303-830-0277) to one of the others while the fifth was arrested for observing the arrests from the front lawn of a house.

The charge for four of the organizers was failure to obey a lawful order and the fifth organizer was charged with criminal trespassing. The FBI, Denver Police Department’s motorcycle unit, and the Denver County Sheriff’s Department were responsible for the snatching of these people and their transport away from the scene. According to Dave, the FBI searched the group’s van and attempted to interrogate them at the scene. The organizers refused to answer questions and wanted to see a lawyer.

Brian Vicente from the People’s Law Project said that the five would eventually be taken to the Temporary Arrestee Processing Center or, as it’s euphemistically called, “Gitmo on the Platte” to be processed and bonded out. Vicente said that bond could be around $500.

The People’s Law Project, Indymedia, and I-Witness Video were contacted to do legal support and video documentation.