DENVER — After the culling of approximately 300 Canada geese at Denver’s City Park, some citizens are organizing a protest.

Wildlife officials say excessive bird waste brought on the need for removal.

For a number of years, Denver Parks and Recreation struggled to manage the growing goose population.

It tried scaring the geese away and even coating their eggs in cooking oil to prevent fertilization.

Now, after the birds are killed, their meat will be given to needy families.

A Facebook page has the protest against the killings tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at Washington Park.

“Geese are molting their feathers now, so they are completely defenseless against this round up. And they are protecting their goslings. This is indefensibly cruel and inhumane,” the Facebook page states.

“I would love to have a better option, that’s for sure. I would love for them to migrate away and then come back. Or I would love for it to be more natural, where there were more fox and coyotes, which is what there used to be. There used to be tons of fox and coyotes in our neighborhood. I don’t see so many anymore,” said resident Catherine Millard.

Ali Naaseh was spending time at Wash Park Tuesday. He is familiar with the controversy, but has a slightly different take on the geese from that of the protesters.

“They’re a huge nuisance. They’re a huge source of pollution,” says Naaseh, who was fishing Tuesday at Smith Lake. “[Geese] make the water all disgusting, chase people away, you can’t even sit down.”