DENVER — At the end of overdose awareness week and in the middle of an intensifying crisis, there was a quiet protest in the heart of downtown Denver.
It was quiet on purpose because the demonstrators knew they could get in trouble, but they were willing to take the risk to send a strong message about what they say it will take to save lives.
In between the state Capitol and the City and County Building were two tents, one blue and one purple, closed off to the public.
Betsy Craft, a harm reduction advocate, said it was an example of what an overdose prevention center could look like, set up with chairs, fentanyl testing strips, and medical professionals ready to step in during an emergency.
An overdose prevention center would be a spot where people could bring their own drugs, use them with supervision from medical professionals and then connect with resources if ready.
It's an idea that is not allowed in Colorado and has been at the center of a long legal and political battle.
"We are good people. We don't deserve to die," said Craft. "This is a tool that is evidence-based."
Craft, who said she has survived more than 12 overdoses, was exhausted from the grief as she walked by a memorial with pictures of loved ones who died from an overdose.
Craft said she can't wait around anymore, and neither can the addiction specialist doctors there on Saturday.
"This is a part of a spectrum of care of people, " said addiction medicine physician Dr. Paul Christine.
While on camera, everyone said this was an example of an overdose prevention center site. And while it is, it was also set up in a high-use drug corner at Colfax Avenue and Broadway, where multiple people have overdosed.
According to several harm reduction advisors throughout the afternoon, around 15 people were able to come and use drugs like meth and fentanyl with medical supervision.
Then they were connected to wrap-around services.
It was a site that at one point was quietly breaking the rules while surrounded by park rangers and State Patrol troopers.
"The past two years, legislatures killed our bills, the past two years," said Craft.
Craft was talking about the latest legislation fizzling out with a veto threat from Gov. Jared Polis (D). There were also concerns from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
Going as far back as 2018, Denver City Council said they would be OK with a site like this opening but never got the green light from the state.
That was over concerns of enabling addiction and a lack of proper guardrails, becoming a magnet for other crimes and questions about if this was even an effective solution.
In response, Dr. Christine and his colleague said a site like this isn't fringe but that it's found in multiple countries and other parts of the U.S.
"We know from data, primarily out of New York City, overdoses decreased, syringes discarded and drug paraphernalia on the street decreased and didn't lead to increase in crime," said Dr. Christine.
And as doctors, they said they support this as another option to keep people alive long enough to get help.
Craft had a message for lawmakers.
"Use authority to clear a legal pathway to authorize overdose prevention centers," she said.
All 15 people left the tent OK, according to the advocates. 9NEWS wasn't allowed in the tent, but its crews did see a few people walk in without any ambulances or police going over.
They also gave out 69 Narcans and more than 200 fentanyl testing strips. Plus, two people signed up for appointments for medication-assisted treatment.
Advocates say the legal waters are muddied because this week, City Council in Denver signed a proclamation to prioritize harm reduction and things like an overdose prevention center.
Again though, it's not allowed at a state level.
They are also watching New York City, which has been running two sites since 2021 while their legality is still being debated.
9NEWS received a statement from the Denver Mayor's office stating the following:
"Our first priority is connecting individuals with proven treatment options and safe, stable living situations, increasing public safety and reducing the chance of overdose. Denver has no plans to open one of these sites, and we will continue to work around the clock to help people access services and treatment options through our Roads to Recovery program and All in Mile High."