Tracking Data Uncovers Coordinated Activist Presence At Denver Progressive Rally

The Sanders-Ocasio-Cortez rally in Denver drew headlines for its large turnout, but behind the scenes, tracking data reveals a crowd filled with professional activists. While organizers claimed a turnout of over 30,000, technology used to track smartphone activity showed only around 20,189 devices were present at the peak of the event.

GPS-based research found that the majority of those devices belonged to individuals who had taken part in numerous prior political demonstrations. A striking 84% were previously logged at nine or more rallies, with a third appearing in over 20 events ranging from pro-Hamas protests to Democratic campaign stops.

Analysts were able to build profiles using a combination of location data, demographic trends and proximity patterns. Cross-referencing data from government and market sources, including Pew Research and YouGov, they confirmed that many attendees were tied to repeat protest efforts.

Organized groups linked to the crowd included Indivisible Project, Democratic Socialists of America and Troublemakers. Each of these groups receives funding from ActBlue. At least three were also connected to funding streams tied to USAID, according to the analysis.

Observers noted that the same strategy was used during Kamala Harris’ 2024 campaign, where coordinated travel and event staging were used to simulate high-energy support. Many of the devices detected at Harris rallies reappeared in Denver, pointing to the use of an established protest infrastructure.

The findings arrive at a critical moment for the Democratic Party. Public support is slipping, with recent CNN polling showing a 27% approval rating. The rally’s timing and the crowd composition appear aimed at reversing those trends through optics rather than voter enthusiasm.

Device proximity patterns also highlighted clustering near known organizers and funders at past events. This further indicated that much of the crowd had been brought together by activist networks rather than local interest or community organizing.

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