Denver City Councilor Says He Had To Climb Out Of Wheelchair, Crawl Onto Debate Stage

Faced with an inaccessible venue, Denver City Council member Chris Hinds says he had to climb out of his wheelchair and crawl onto a debate stage earlier this week.

In a statement Wednesday, Hinds described the “public humiliation” of leaving his wheelchair as he attempted to participate in a City Council debate, which took place Monday at the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance school.

“The lack of wheelchair accessibility on the stage at the debate culminated in an extremely uncomfortable outcome: I had to climb out of my wheelchair and attempt to crawl onto the stage in front of a crowd,” he said.

According to NBC News, the debate proceeded after it was moved to the floor so Hinds could take part. But photos circulated on social media of the councilman attempting to access the stage.

Denver Clerk Paul López said in a statement that he personally apologized for what happened at the debate.

“People often think that the ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] solved accessibility problems, but here is a stark reminder that serious issues still persist,” Hinds said. “For a city that cares about equity, we need disability representation on City Council.”

Hinds, who has been an outspoken and staunch advocate for accessibility since he was elected in 2019, also took issue with the lead-up to the debate.

In his statement, Hinds said he was not initially informed by organizers or the clerk’s office of the event, which was scheduled to take place at the same time as a weekly council meeting.

Hinds said he was later informed about the debate. But he alleged that the clerk’s office told his campaign that he was “legally obligated to participate” or else give up $125,000 in Fair Elections Fund money, a type of campaign financing. When he saw the inaccessible venue Monday, Hinds said he had to “choose to either preserve the campaign’s viability or his dignity on the stage.”

López, the city clerk, said the assertion that Hinds wasn’t informed about the event was “simply false,” adding that debates were confirmed in December and details had been made public since then.

Hinds is the first elected official in Denver who uses a wheelchair. In a tweet Thursday, he renewed his promise to push for accessibility and thanked supporters for speaking about similar experiences of their own.

“While it is heartbreaking that such stories continue to be told over 30 years after the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed … I will continue to advocate for the freedom that is granted through accessibility, now and for the rest of my life,” he said.