Angry crowd blasts Aurora City Council over Venezuelan 'lies'

Community activist and former Denver school board member Auontai "Tay" Anderson pokes fun at Aurora City Council Member Danielle Jurinsky.Photo byCity of Aurora/Aurora TV

At least three dozen angry people addressed the Aurora City Council during public comment period Monday, blasting Mayor Mike Coffman and council member Danielle Jurinsky for spreading "lies" about Venezuela.

At issue is whether there is a Venezuelan gang "problem" at Aurora apartment buildings. On Monday, residents of the building emphasized that the problem is the absentee "slumlord." Jeff Klein, a landlord who said he maintains his properties, offered to sit down with any city official to discuss solutions to what he believes is a very real problem that has been going on for many years. He said it has gotten to the point where residents wave guns around at all hours. When police are called, they respond 12 hours later and say nothing is going on, Klein said.

Other speakers also said the problem with gang activity at Aurora apartment complexes have been going on for several years.

Crowd angry about no-show chief

Several speakers railed against the council for the way the new police chief was hired without public input. The new chief did not attend Monday's council meeting. "Where are you chief, are you under the (expletive) table?" chided a man who identified himself as KDOT.

"The fact that he's not here to shake hands with community..." Aaron Futrell said, shaking his head. "He's talking he wants to be part of community policing? No."

Tay Anderson jabs Jurinsky

Famed Denver activist Auontai Anderson pierced Danielle Jurinsky with no-holds-barred remarks. "Dear Marjorie Taylor Green ... I'm sorry, Danielle Jurinsky ... sometimes I get my racist ass white women mixed up."

"You have become Fox Media's new baby," Anderson continued. "You have told lies about an innocent community about gang takeovers happening in your city which your former police chief said didn't happen. You gotta ask Mayor Coffman on which day he said it didn't happen but he said on numerous occasions that gang takeovers is not happening."

Anderson accused Jurinsky of wanting a presidential post. "You keep putting this innoncent community at risk beause you want an appointment in the Trump Administration."

Landlord: The problem is real

Several speakers said they visited the Aurora apartment complexes in question and found deplorable living conditions, not gangs. One man said the city needs to send someone to pick up two months' worth of garbage at one of the buildings and bill the property owner. He said the city could do that tomorrow.

After two hours of public comment, a person in the crowd began yelling that Jurinsky apologize to the Venezuelan community. The crowd then began to erupt in chants and the video faded out as the council recessed to a virtual meeting.