BOULDER, CO — Protestors gathered in Boulder Sunday to demand change after a March 1 incident in which a police officer confronted a black man who was picking up trash in his yard. According to event organizers, the march from Naropa University to the Boulder Police Department on 33rd Street had more than 650 participants. It also marked the first time that the man involved in the incident, sophomore yoga studies major Zayd Atkinson, spoke publicly about his experience.
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A video of the police encounter has been widely shared on social media. In it, an unidentified officer repeatedly asks Atkinson to put down the clamp he was using to pick up garbage, referring to it as a weapon. In remarks to city council the following week, Police Chief Greg Testa said that one officer involved in the incident drew his gun, but kept it pointed at the ground. Testa did not disclose the number of officers who responded to the scene after the original officer called for backup, nor did he state which officer drew his weapon.
“It seemed as if he definitely wanted to shoot me,” Atkinson told reporters at the event, according to the Boulder Beat. Atkinson said that officers also had their tasers ready for use.
Atkinson had presented his Naropa school identification card when the officer originally approached him and asked for ID. The building that he stood in front of is Naropa student housing.
None of the officers gave him their name, said Atkinson, who called it a “frightening” experience and spoke about being surrounded by weapons, according to the Boulder Beat.
Boulder’s city council has scheduled a special meeting for Monday, March 18, at 6 p.m. to talk about the incident and initiate a community conversation about racism in Boulder. Police have launched an internal investigation into the encounter, and expect to have the results in 60–90 days.
“On behalf of the police department and the city, I would like to apologize,” said Police Chief Greg Testa in a statement along with the press release about the council meeting. “Our officers are trained to treat every individual with respect. Last week’s actions by an officer furthered fear in our community and impacted a Boulder man who did nothing wrong. Going forward, the police department will do better. We will increase training on racial bias and emphasize training around community values to ensure this does not happen again.”
Read more from the Boulder Beat here.
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