Denver, CO – On Wednesday, October 26, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) attended the Auraria Board of Directors meeting on Auraria campus to demand that the Auraria Campus Police Department (ACPD) withdraw from the Federal 1033 program. The 1033 program, also called the LESO Excess Property Program, allows ACPD to acquire military weapons and other equipment from the Department of Defense. There are currently over 8000 police departments, including many campus police departments, participating in this program.

Denver, CO – On Monday, October 24, community members gathered at the Denver City Council Building to make their voices heard regarding Denver’s public budget for 2023. Mayor Michael Hancock seeks to spend almost 37% of the city budget on Public Safety. Though this is a slightly smaller percentage of the budget than last year, the proposed plan will spend an additional $45 million on Public Safety as compared to 2022.

Denver, CO – About 30 people marched to District Attorney Beth McCann’s office on September 12 to demand the indictment of the police officers involved in the July 17 shooting in downtown Denver. The coalition, led by the Denver-Aurora Community Action Committee (DACAC), also demanded that charges against Jordan Waddy, a 21-year-old Black man and one of the victims of the shooting, be dropped; an investigation independent of the police department to be conducted; the end of Denver Police Department’s participation in the Pentagon 1033 Program; and community control of the police.

Denver, CO – On August 31, two dozen students and community members marched to the Auraria Campus Police Department to demand the end of their participation in the Pentagon 1033 Program, which provides military grade weapons to domestic law enforcement agencies.  Other demands included the defunding and demilitarization of ACPD by surrendering their weapons. The march was led by Denver Students for a Democratic Society. They were joined by the Denver-Aurora Community Action Committee, Movimiento Poder, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Denver, CO – A crowd of about 30 people gathered at the Colorado State Capitol on Saturday, July 30, in solidarity with the people in Akron, Ohio and the family of Jayland Walker. Participants included victims of police crimes and their families in the Denver area. Protesters demanded the indictment of the eight Akron Police Department officers who murdered Jayland Walker, an immediate investigation into Akron PD by the Department of Justice, and community control of police through a civilian police accountability council.

Denver, CO – About 200 people took to the streets on Thursday, July 21, protesting Denver police officers opening fire into a crowd of people early Sunday morning, injuring seven people. Their demands included the immediate release of the unedited body cam footage, restitution for the victims and community control of police. The event was led by Denver Students for a Democratic Society and supported by groups such as Denver Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Denver Democratic Socialists of America, Young Communist League of Colorado, and the newly formed Denver-Aurora Community Action Committee.

Denver, CO – A group of 25 community members and students of Auraria campus gathered at the César E. Chávez Memorial Building, July 7, outside the office of Senator Michael Bennet. Protesters demanded that Bennet use his position within the United States Senate to advocate for the passing of a national law that would guarantee the right to an abortion in all 50 states.

Denver, CO – En jueves, el 19 de mayo se reunió una reunión de la Junta Directiva de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver con protestas de estudiantes y miembros de la comunidad que se indignaron por el reciente despido del querido profesor de inglés Chicano Tim Hernández.

¡Lucha y Resiste! entrevista a Tim Hernández, un maestro chicano en Denver que fue recientemente despedido de su puesto en North High School alegando que es “divisivo”. Los estudiantes y miembros de la comunidad dicen que Hernández fue despedido porque no tiene miedo de tomar una posición para sus estudiantes y su comunidad. La entrevista tuvo lugar fuera de una reunión de la Junta de Educación de las Escuelas Públicas de Denver, donde los partidarios de Hernández se reunieron para exigir su reincorporación. Hernández, sin embargo, fue prohibido entrar en la reunión. ¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Por qué está aquí presente el día de hoy?

Fight Back! interviews Tim Hernández, a Chicano teacher in Denver who was recently dismissed from his position at North High School on the grounds that he is “divisive.” Students and community members say that Hernández was dismissed because he’s not afraid to take a stand for his students and community. The interview took place outside of a Denver Public Schools Board of Education meeting where supporters of Hernández gathered to demand his reinstatement. Hernández, however, was barred entry to the meeting. Fight Back!: Why are you here today?

Denver, CO – On May 19, a Denver Public Schools Board of Education meeting was met with protest from students and community members who were outraged at the recent dismissal of beloved Chicano English teacher Tim Hernández.

Denver, CO – On May 5, Students for a Democratic Society led a march of several dozen students and community members from Auraria Campus to the office of U.S. Senator Michael Bennet to deliver a list of demands to encode legal access to safe abortions for all.

Denver, CO – On January 21, the United Food and Commercial Workers’ (UFCW) Local 7 reached a tentative agreement with Kroger subsidiary King Soopers after an all-night bargaining session. The picket lines that had been established ten days earlier went down and the strikers returned to work.

Denver, CO – On Monday, January 17, grocery workers represented by UFCW Local 7 entered day six of their Unfair Labor Practices strike against King Soopers. King Soopers is a subsidiary of Kroger.

Fight Back! interviews Carol McMillian, a bakery worker from Denver currently on strike against the unfair labor practices of King Soopers, a division of Kroger. Fight Back!: Why are you out here today on the picket line?

Denver, CO – On January 3, King Soopers workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 (UFCW) in Denver and Colorado Springs approved an Unfair Labor Practices strike by a 97% margin. On January 7, the union announced that workers would walk off the job and onto the picket line starting next Wednesday, January 12.

Denver, CO – On January 3, King Soopers workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Worker’s Local 7 (UFCW) in Denver and Colorado Springs approved an Unfair Labor Practices strike. Workers across 87 King Soopers locations approved the motion by a 97% margin.

Denver, CO – On November 16, students gathered on Auraria Campus to stand against attacks on reproductive rights. The event was held by Denver Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and The Brazen Project. Members of each organization gave speeches advocating for reproductive rights and bringing attention to the recently enacted Texas Heartbeat Act. Students protested the ban and advanced the demand that women have access to safe and legal abortions in Texas and across the U.S.

Denver, CO – On October 27, students from the University of Colorado Denver gathered to speak out and demand justice for Jacob Blake. Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by Kenosha, Wisconsin Police Department Officer Rusten Sheskey in August of 2020, sparking a major rebellion.

Denver, CO – About 50 students and campus community members gathered at Tivoli Commons for the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) National Day of Action: “Cops Off Campus, Black Lives Matter!” Demands included the disarmament and defunding of Auraria Campus Police Department (ACPD) and more information regarding their participation in the Federal 1033 Program. Members of SDS and Freedom Road Socialist Organization gave speeches about strategies for community control of police and recounted stories of police violence, all while leading chants of “Down with mass incarceration, up, up with education!” and “Black lives matter!”