Arrests Show Rift Between Occupy Colorado Springs Protesters
The arrests of Occupy Colorado Springs protesters Saturday show a rift in the local movement.
Two people were handcuffed after they duct taped themselves to their tent and refused to leave when police said they were violating the city’s camping ban. Click here to see the incident . Some protesters denied that the pair was actually a part of Occupy Colorado Springs.
“There’s a small group of people claiming to be Occupy Colorado Springs and going against what the group decided to do with the city,” said Jason Warf, who called the group ‘Camp Safe Haven’ in a press release.
The city granted Warf and other protesters a permit for several tents on the corner of Tejon and Bijou Streets. Warf said protesters voted that anyone who put the city permits in jeopardy isn’t representing Occupy Colorado Springs.
“This being an indefinite protest, obviously peaceful co-existence is the way to go,” said Warf.
The pair arrested, Amber Hagen and Jack Semple, said they are a part of OCS and are attempting to expand the movement, not separate from it. They said a priority for themselves and others is fighting to change the city’s ban on camping, and that’s why they set up tents without a permit.
“The police came and told us it was against the city ordinance, at which time we all pulled out our First Amendment (booklets) and said, ‘We have a permit for this, the First Amendment is our permit,'” said Hagen. “We’re trying to make a safe place where every single person can be included and with the permit, we cannot to that.”
Hagen said people have to sign a waiver to enter the permitted Occupy tents, something she’s against. She and Semple said they may be arrested in their fight against the no camping ordinance. They two are due in court late this month on the misdemeanor charge of interfering with a public official under the city code.
Semple pointed out that no one has authority to say who and who isn’t a part of Occupy.
“In a leaderless movement, no one has the right to say you’re not a part of it,” said Semple. “That’s assuming some kind of authority which no one has. We’re all equal here.”
Some protesters are disappointed with what’s happening to a group that’s supposed to be united.
“All that infighting is divisive,” said Ormoned Fingers.
