Protesters allege excessive police force at Denver rally; activists urge removal of Lockheed Martin and Palantir from city

At the March 24 Denver City Council public comment session, members of Denver Antiwar Action and other advocates alleged that Denver Police Department officers used excessive force during a recent protest and that the city should cut ties with companies they described as "war profiteers."

Elliot Howe, who identified himself with Denver Antiwar Action, said two protesters were detained and "slammed to the ground" after a march and alleged the arrests lacked clear explanation. He also read quotations from a journalist in Gaza and said that Denver should not "harbor these war profiteer companies." "Denver needs to stop harboring these war profiteer companies," Howe said, naming Lockheed Martin and Palantir.

A speaker who identified herself as Dr. Badi said she witnessed a large police presence at the protest, including multiple patrol cars, undercover vehicles, motorcycles and a drone. She told the council that the following day she observed officers at a coffee shop and said officers pointed firearms at patrons before releasing the person they had targeted. "The display of police force was so out of control," Dr. Badi said, and she urged the council to take action on what she described as excessive surveillance and force.

Both speakers linked their concerns about policing to broader demands that Denver not host or do business with defense and surveillance contractors they say are tied to human-rights abuses overseas. Those demands were framed as activist policy requests; the speakers did not cite a specific council motion or city contract change during the comment period.

The allegations reported during public comment were not corroborated in the council record presented at the session; no Denver Police Department response or formal investigative result was included in the meeting transcript.