Disabled activist Sarah Metsch, left, leads fellow protesters in a chant along the 16th St. Mall after a Save Medicaid Rally at Skyline Park near U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner's Denver office July 06, 2017 in Denver. Several hundred protesters gathered to keep up the pressure on Sen. Gardner to vote no on the proposed health care bill, which would limit Medicaid to those in need. Last week ten disabled protesters were arrested including Russell, after refusing to leave Sen. Gardner's office after a sit-in protest.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Save Medicaid Rally at Skyline Park near U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner's Denver office July 06, 2017 in Denver. Several hundred protesters gathered to keep up the pressure on Sen. Gardner to vote no on the proposed health care bill, which would limit Medicaid to those in need. Last week ten disabled protesters were arrested including Russell, after refusing to leave Sen. Gardner's office after a sit-in protest.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Disabled activist Jose Torres-Vega with ADAPT, center, leads protesters in a chant at the Save Medicaid Rally at Skyline Park near U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner's Denver office July 06, 2017 in Denver. Several hundred protesters gathered to keep up the pressure on Sen. Gardner to vote no on the proposed health care bill, which would limit Medicaid to those in need. Last week ten disabled protesters were arrested after refusing to leave Sen. Gardner's office after a sit-in protest.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Save Medicaid Rally at Skyline Park near U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner's Denver office July 06, 2017 in Denver. Several hundred protesters gathered to keep up the pressure on Sen. Gardner to vote no on the proposed health care bill, which would limit Medicaid to those in need. Last week ten disabled protesters were arrested after refusing to leave Sen. Gardner's office after a sit-in protest.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Save Medicaid Rally at Skyline Park near U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner's Denver office July 06, 2017 in Denver. Several hundred protesters gathered to keep up the pressure on Sen. Gardner to vote no on the proposed health care bill, which would limit Medicaid to those in need. Last week ten disabled protesters were arrested after refusing to leave Sen. Gardner's office after a sit-in protest.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Save Medicaid Rally at Skyline Park near U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner's Denver office on July 6, 2017 in Denver. Several hundred protesters gathered to keep up the pressure on Sen. Gardner to vote no on the proposed health care bill, which would limit Medicaid to those in need.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Disabled activist Kalyn Heffernan raps at a Save Medicaid Rally at Skyline Park near U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner's Denver office July 06, 2017 in Denver. Several hundred protesters gathered to keep up the pressure on Sen. Gardner to vote no on the proposed health care bill, which would limit Medicaid to those in need. Last week ten disabled protesters including Heffernan, were arrested after refusing to leave Sen. Gardner's office after a sit-in protest.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Disabled activist Dawn Russell holds a flyer stating “Where On Earth Is Senator Cory Gardner” at a Save Medicaid Rally at Skyline Park near U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner's Denver office July 06, 2017 in Denver. Several hundred protesters gathered to keep up the pressure on Sen. Gardner to vote no on the proposed health care bill, which would limit Medicaid to those in need. Last week ten disabled protesters were arrested including Russell, after refusing to leave Sen. Gardner's office after a sit-in protest.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Disabled activist Dawn Russell holds a flyer stating “Where On Earth Is Senator Cory Gardner” at a Save Medicaid Rally at Skyline Park near U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner's Denver office July 06, 2017 in Denver. Several hundred protesters gathered to keep up the pressure on Sen. Gardner to vote no on the proposed health care bill, which would limit Medicaid to those in need. Last week ten disabled protesters were arrested including Russell, after refusing to leave Sen. Gardner's office after a sit-in protest.
Protesters who last week staged a 57-hour sit-in at Sen. Cory Gardner’s Denver office returned to the general vicinity Thursday with hundreds of allies, saying they would continue to make their voices heard until the Republican commits to a “no” vote on the Senate health care bill.
The activists, clutching water bottles and sporting yellow T-shirts, gathered in the morning under pop-up canopies on the lawn outside Gardner’s office. They represented ADAPT, a Colorado-based national disability-rights organization, and more than a dozen other groups.
After last week’s protest, nine people were arrested and removed from Gardner’s office. Those gathered Thursday had a permit and said they were more focused on talking about the importance of Medicaid.
Protesters Dawn Russell, on floor, and Lonnie Smith, right, chant as they refuse to vacate the vacate the offices of Senator Cory Gardner on June 29, 2017 in Denver. A handful of people, all of whom are with ADAPT, held a sit-in for 58 hours in the tiny front lobby space in the office of Colorado Senator Cory Gardner. They are asking the senator to vote against the new health care bill. As they were arrested protesters chanted "I would rather go to jail than die without Medicaid." ADAPT is a national grass-roots community that organizes disability rights activists to engage in nonviolent direct action, including civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom.
A Denver police officer asks protesters to vacate the offices of Senator Cory Gardner or risk getting arrested on June 29, 2017 in Denver. The people, all of whom are with ADAPT, held a sit-in for 58 hours in the tiny front lobby space in the office of Colorado Senator Cory Gardner. They are asking the senator to vote against the new health care bill. All of the protesters were arrested after they refused to leave. ADAPT is a national grass-roots community that organizes disability rights activists to engage in nonviolent direct action, including civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Lonnie Smith gets arrested by Denver Police officers after refusing the vacate the offices of Senator Cory Gardner on June 29, 2017 in Denver.
Dawn Russell gets arrested by Denver police officers after refusing the vacate the offices of Senator Cory Gardner on June 29, 2017 in Denver. A handful of people, all of whom are with ADAPT, held a sit-in for 58 hours in the tiny front lobby space in the office of Colorado Senator Cory Gardner. They are asking the senator to vote against the new health care bill. As they were arrested protesters chanted "I would rather go to jail than die without Medicaid." ADAPT is a national grass-roots community that organizes disability rights activists to engage in nonviolent direct action, including civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom.
Police arrested 10 protesters -- most with disabilities -- in U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner's Denver office on Thursday, two days after they began a sit-in to demand that the Republican lawmaker pledge to oppose the GOP's plan to repeal and replace Obamacare.
A protester gets arrested by Denver police officers after refusing the vacate the offices of Senator Cory Gardner on June 29, 2017 in Denver. A handful of people, all of whom are with ADAPT, held a sit-in for 58 hours in the tiny front lobby space in the office of Colorado Senator Cory Gardner. They are asking the senator to vote against the new health care bill. As they were arrested protesters chanted "I would rather go to jail than die without Medicaid." ADAPT is a national grass-roots community that organizes disability rights activists to engage in nonviolent direct action, including civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom.
A protester gets arrested by Denver police officers after refusing the vacate the offices of Senator Cory Gardner on June 29, 2017 in Denver. A handful of people, all of whom are with ADAPT, held a sit-in for 58 hours in the tiny front lobby space in the office of Colorado Senator Cory Gardner. They are asking the senator to vote against the new health care bill. As they were arrested protesters chanted "I would rather go to jail than die without Medicaid." ADAPT is a national grass-roots community that organizes disability rights activists to engage in nonviolent direct action, including civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom.
John Leyba, The Denver Post
ADAPT protesters Lonnie Smith, left, and Dawn Russell are wheeled out after getting arrested from Senator Corey Gardner's office on June 29, 2017 downtown Denver. The protesters some in wheelchairs were taken out and loaded in to Denver Sheriffs vans to be processed. Protesters were chanting "Rather go to jail than to die without medicaid" and free our people".
John Leyba, The Denver Post
ADAPT protester Jordan Sibayan gets arrested from out front of the building where Senator Corey Gardner has his office on June 29, 2017 downtown Denver. The protesters some in wheelchairs were taken out and loaded in to Denver Sheriffs vans to be processed. Protesters were chanting "Rather go to jail than to die without medicaid" and free our people".
John Leyba, The Denver Post
ADAPT protesters Lonnie Smith, left, and Dawn Russell are wheeled out after getting arrested from Senator Corey Gardner's office on June 29, 2017 downtown Denver. The protesters some in wheelchairs were taken out and loaded in to Denver Sheriffs vans to be processed. Protesters were chanting "Rather go to jail than to die without medicaid" and free our people".
John Leyba, The Denver Post
ADAPT protesters Dawn Russell, left, and Lonnie Smith are loaded into the Denver Sheriffs van after getting arrested from Senator Corey Gardner's office on June 29, 2017 downtown Denver. Protesters were chanting "Rather go to jail than to die without medicaid" and free our people".
“It was never our goal to get arrested,” said Carrie Ann Lucas, who was charged with trespassing after last Thursday’s protest. “However, we want our senator to represent all Coloradans, especially those most vulnerable. My liberty is at stake to live and work in my community. With Medicaid cuts, arrest is de minimis; I would get arrested again.”
Julie Reiskin, executive director of Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, said protesters wanted to draw more attention to a part of Medicaid that individuals with severe intellectual and physical disabilities depend on to maintain independent living. Home and community-based services, as they’re called, allow for in-home care and help individuals continue to go to work and participate in their community.
Gil Casavez, who uses a wheelchair, moved to Colorado from Austin, Texas, to receive these vital services.
“I didn’t have an avenue to receive services to get out of bed, let alone pay someone a human wage for it. I had no advocacy for human care and I almost had to go to a nursing home,” he said. “Thank God for my family who moved me here to Denver. I heard about an agency and now I have my own apartment, aides come prep me for the day, prep my meals for the day, do my chores and help me get to bed at night.”
Contacted by The Denver Post, representatives from Gardner’s office said Thursday that he remains undecided on how he will vote on the Senate health care bill.
