The number of tents along a strip of Broadway where “Occupy Denver” demonstrators are protesting continues to grow even as the Colorado State Patrol has warned against camping out.

Today, more than 20 tents and makeshift shelters — double the number clustered there the day before — were set up on the grass near Veterans Memorial west of the state Capitol, as demonstrators handed out food from a makeshift kitchen.

Corey Donahue, 28, who stood in the jerry-rigged kitchen giving food to those who stopped by, said he was the first to pitch a tent a few days ago. State Patrol troopers told him it is illegal to camp in the park, which is part of the Capitol complex.

“I said ‘I’m not leaving my tent.’ They said ‘our concern is you put up one tent and a day later there are 25’.”

The Patrol currently has no plans to remove the tents, Capt. John R. Hahn said today.

“We are monitoring the situation. The thing we need to be concerned about is what is going on down there: is it peaceful? And (to balance) the size of the crowd as well as everybody else’s right to use the park.”

The shantytown, which has begun to attract a number of homeless people, angered Tim Drago, who helped lead the effort to build the Veterans’ Memorial obilisk which stands near the camp.

Drago, a Vietnam veteran, stopped at the kitchen and blasted Donahue for ignoring the State Patrol’s warning.

“You were told on Thursday, no tents. This is becoming a (expletive) mess. It smells,” he said.

Demonstrators have formed teams to keep the area clean, Donahue said.

“We are getting bigger and as we expand we have to expand our cleaning crew,” Donahue added.

The event on Broadway south of Colfax Avenue is one of several regional camps that have sprung up in emulation of Occupy Wall Street, a demonstration has drawn thousands of protestors daily in the Manhattan financial district since mid-September to protest big business and misguided government.

In Denver, relations between law enforcement and demonstrators have remained cordial since the protest began nearly two weeks ago.

The Denver Police Department re-tweeted some praise from participants in Occupy Denver march down the 16th Street Mall on Saturday.

“THE RIGHT STUFF,” the DPD said in its own Tweet. “‘Occupy Wall St’ marchers praise DPD “they did a fantastic job of keeping people safe — they were clearly there to help.”

Today, the camp was dwarfed by the Denver Rock n’ Roll Marathon, which brought thousands of runners and viewers to Denver’s Civic Center park.

Lakewood resident Katherine Martinez, 54, stood yards away from a sign condemning greed and corruption with a sign of her own, urging on runners.

“Run like you stole something,” her poster said.

She understands the frustration that is driving demonstrators to the street, she said.

“It would be interesting to see if there is any result. People are frustrated and voicing their opinion so this is a good thing.”

Tom McGhee: (303)954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com