A Denver police officer caught on tape shoving a Code Pink protestor to the ground during the Democratic National Convention won’t face charges, according to Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey.
An investigation found that Alicia Forrest, 24, of Los Angeles disobeyed warnings to back away as protestors crowded police during the arrest of a Recreate ’68 protestor on Aug. 26.
A Rocky Mountain News video captured the last instance, when Officer Scott Stewart shoving the woman with his baton and said, “Back up, b—-,” as Forrest collapsed.
Before the camera panned to the shove, police can be heard telling people to “Back it up,” and at the last instance Forrest can be heard saying, “Do it again.”
“A thorough review of the all of the evidence compels the conclusion that a woman failed to comply with repeated lawful police orders to move back,” according to Morrissey’s office. “She then grabbed an officer’s baton, pushing it away. The officer pushed back, using the baton, and the woman fell to the ground. She was not injured.”
Forrest has previously said the officer kept prodding her with his baton as she backed up while taking photos.
Forrest was among 154 people arrested during the convention.
