March 14, 2012 10:52 PM UTC

Occupy Denver's Stellar Public Relations Skills On Display

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• by: Colorado Pols

Westword’s Kelsey Whipple reports on an incident we heard about last week. Warning–this video and text contains explicit language:

When Occupy Denver members mark the group’s six-month anniversary next week, they’ll focus on accomplishments. One example: A handful of protesters recently interrupted and shut down a live Fox 31 broadcast with complaints of subpar previous coverage. From there, as you’ll see in the video below, the F-bombs fly, with reporter Eli Stokols cursing at the protestors and arguing that such actions are “not a good way to get anybody to respect your point of view.” And the protesters curse back.

Although the video’s YouTube title suggests otherwise by referencing Fox News, Fox 31 is locally run and not a part of the larger national network. But whatever the case, Stokols rebuffs allegations of coverage shortfalls by pointing out that he and his coworkers have reported about a visit by Michael Moore, meetings with the police and “regular people on the street.”

“I’m in the middle of a live shot, so this is not the time to debate with you guys,” Stokols says. “If you want to act like grownups, then we can have a conversation. When I’m live on fucking television — and you can film this — you don’t come up and fuck us up.”

The Occupy Denver protesters were holding signs behind FOX 31 reporter Eli Stokols that read “f— the police.” This obviously has the effect of making it difficult for a live TV feed to continue. The protesters were apparently upset with “media lies,” though it’s not clear if they are targeting the media in general, “FOX News” (even though KDVR-TV is locally owned), or perhaps reporting by Stokols personally or his local affiliate. We suspect it was fairly random, or mistargeted anger at the national FOX News (which is not very kind to the Occupy movement).

Whatever their motive, this is certainly not the first time we’ve watched aghast as local “Occupiers,” claiming to be part of a movement many Americans would like to support, have rendered themselves unsupportable through their own foolish and pointlessly belligerent behavior. The absolute last people on Earth that Occupy Denver should be harassing like this are members of the media who they need to reach the public with their message. This is the kind of behavior that convinces members of the real “99%” you do not speak for them.

Enough, Occupy Denver. Smarten up or go away.