On Saturday, more than two hours after the “No Kings” demonstration in Denver, 17 people were taken into custody from what authorities said was a different group of demonstrators.
Six marches closed streets during the day and into Saturday night, according to police, though they did not immediately break down who was charged with what or why. However, the 17 participants in the most recent march were charged with unlawful projectile throwing, resisting arrest, obstructing traffic, and disobeying a valid order.
A number of demonstrators reportedly tried to enter Interstate 25 around 20th and Blake Streets, while another group reportedly engaged in combat with police near West Colfax Avenue and Speer Boulevard, close to the Interstate 25 entry, according to police.
According to Denver police, an unlawful assembly was declared at approximately 9:20 p.m. after some demonstrators tossed rocks and other projectiles there and close to West Colfax Avenue and North Osage Street.
According to police, protesters in such places continued to be present, and some of them began to hurl things at cops. cops responded by firing pepper balls and releasing smoke, and the mob dispersed. According to a department spokesperson, no tear gas was utilized.
One protester then allegedly lit a small fire in the area of the State Capitol, close to West 14th Avenue and Lincoln Street, at around 10 p.m.
The route was already closed to traffic because of the demonstration, and the fire extinguished itself. Whether the accused fire starter is one of the 17 people detained was not disclosed by the police.
Denver police and nationwide organizers of the “No Kings” protests hailed the rallies as generally peaceful, and thousands of people attended the Denver demonstration earlier that day.
“Since approximately noon today, DPD has managed five demonstrator marches near the State Capitol Building and in the downtown area. Those marches were peaceful,” Denver police stated on Saturday night.
“So long as people’s rights are under attack, people are going to come out and demonstrate. People are going to come and fight for ensuring that our rights are secured and fight for each other,” Alfonso Espino, an organizer with the Denver chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation stated. “For all of that rhetoric, the initiators of violence has always been this government.”
“There’s a lot of emotion going around,” protester Jack Hoffman said after witnessing at least one person burning an American flag. Everyone is clearly incensed over the recent events in the United States. Some of the demonstrators, he continued, “had close connections with what’s happened and are being affected.”
Read Also: Clashes Lead to 38 Arrests During ‘No Kings’ Protest in Downtown L.A.
According to a number of demonstrators who wished to remain anonymous, the demonstration was largely nonviolent, but those who did run afoul of the law don’t speak for the movement as a whole, they told.
However, one said that peaceful protestors who were apprehended by police were among those detained.
“This was a peaceful protest and unfortunately, like always, they take advantage of us and our voices and as you see over there, we’re literally seeing someone being arrested for peacefully protesting and sharing their voice,” she stated. “Police tend to escalate things. They continue to not be peaceful within this time and I think they expect us to not be peaceful, but at the end of the day, we chose to stand our ground and be in support of our cause and they don’t like that and that won’t always be supported but at the end of the day, we continue to show up in support of our community.”
Nationwide, protests took place in both big and small cities and villages, and in Colorado, there were dozens of them in places including Boulder, Castle Rock, Golden, Parker, Northglenn, Steamboat Springs, and more.
“With hundreds of events still underway, today’s No Kings actions have already drawn more than 5 million participants,” protest organizers stated. “They brought joy, drums, banners, and faith. They came not to clash-but to claim what is ours: the right to gather, to speak, and to rise. And rise we did-with dignity, love, and powerful resolve. Turnout was overwhelmingly more than initially anticipated. Organizers and local law enforcement reported over 200,000 in New York, over 100,000 in Philadelphia, and in some towns like Pentwater, Michigan saw 400 people join in their small town with a population of 800.”
