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Police Watchdogs: Denver Police Used Excessive Force

CopWatch Releases Video Of Columbus Day Protest Arrests

POSTED: 9:02 pm MST November 16, 2007
UPDATED: 10:59 am MST November 17, 2007

A police watchdog group released video Friday they said shows Denver police using excessive force.

CopWatch said they had six cameras at the Columbus Day Parade protests, where demonstrators who staged a mid-street sit-in were hauled off by Denver police.

Cameras from 7NEWS were there as well and showed some protesters apparently resisting arrest.

However, Stephen Nash, a CopWatch spokesman, said after the protesters were removed from the sit-in, officers used pain-compliance holds on people who were already in police custody and on some who weren’t resisting.

He said non-violent protestors did not deserve that level of force and that officers could have used other non-violent techniques or handcuffs to make the arrests.

"Police have been using pain holds more and more in demonstrations across the country to kind of expand what they're allowed to do," said Nash.

CopWatch said it plans to show the video to the ACLU and other legal groups to determine if they have a human rights case against the police department.

Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson would not comment because he said he had not seen the video, but he did say anyone with a complaint against the police should go to internal affairs or the independent monitor, and they will investigate.

Police also had cameras at the protests, and said at the time that the incident was handled well.


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