DATE: April 29, 2024

Statement on Protests at Auraria Campus and Colleges across Colorado

DENVER, CO – This past week, we’ve seen law enforcement agencies disrupt Colorado students’ right to protest and, once again, escalate a peaceful situation through unnecessary aggression, including the arrest of young activists who are exercising their legally protected right to free speech. Our organization was founded because we believe in young people’s unparalleled revolutionary potential and our collective power to drive political change. We know that student activism is essential to progress on our priorities, from the Greensboro sit-ins to protests against the Vietnam War, and that campuses are essential organizing spaces for advancing dialogue. Disbanding the demonstrations at the Auraria campus and other campuses across the state dismisses our country’s deep history of student activism and puts activists in immediate danger. 

Given our established presence at the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University, and the University of Colorado Denver, we call on university leaders to respect students’ rights, allow the protests to continue, and not punish students who were arrested. This disregard for students’ rights is amplified by the universities manipulating an already harmful policy aimed at preventing unhoused people from existing on campus to disband protesters unfairly. 

We applaud Rep. Elisabeth Epps, our 2023 Youth Agenda Champion, and New Era Colorado Action Fund applauds endorsed Youth Agenda Champion Rep. Tim Hernández, for organizing with activists and groups on the ground to defend people in Colorado’s right to peacefully protest. We will continue to support elected officials who advocate for young people’s political priorities, including the right to protest for an anti-racist and peaceful future. 

New Era Colorado recommends the following resources to support students across Colorado: 

• Follow Students for a Democratic Society – Denver to get the latest updates 
• Read Students’ Rights | Know Your Rights from the ACLU 
• Read Protest Safety Tips to Guard Against Surveillance from Digital Defense Fund 

For additional information or questions, please contact Communications Director Camila Navarrette directly at Camila@NewEraColorado.org or (323) 423-5898.