Activists Take Charge Of Denver City Council Meeting, Demand Change
DENVER (CBS4) - Activists took over the Denver City Council meeting on Monday night. They demanded the police department to be defunded, with money moved to social services and other programs.
Some also called for the resignation of Mayor Michael Hancock and District Attorney Beth McCann to resign.
Those who spoke up told city leaders they were not seeing changes enacted soon enough and recounted over a dozen people killed by law enforcement. The names included William DeBose, Jessica Hernandez and Paul Child
City leaders were quiet, letting protesters have the floor, but last week council members demanded change from public safety leaders including Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen.
"How long is it going to take? How many people have to come up here and cry? How many people have to come up and tell their stories, spit facts, until we do something?" asked one of the activists.
The takeover lasted over two hours. Members urged leaders to make changes soon, or they would continue to take matters into their own hands.
"I'm asking, demanding you today to defend Black life by defunding DPD. I'm asking you to follow through on your Black Lives Matter masks, and reallocate $400 million to community-based safety and support services," another protester said.
CBS4 reached out to Mayor Hancock's office for comment, we have yet to hear back.