Demonstrators hoisted mostly handmade signs decrying Trump and fascism, while others wrote messages supporting democracy and collective action.
He said showing up to protests like the “No Kings” gathering at the state Capitol teaches people that they’re not alone.
They have attended every Denver protest since January, angered by cuts to foreign aid, the firing of federal workers and what they said was government propaganda.
Larger than June protest Chase said Saturday’s event seemed double or triple the size of the June “No Kings” protest in Denver, which drew an estimated 20,000 people.
“…This movement isn’t about a single protest; it’s about a growing chorus of Americans who refuse to be ruled.
As part of the nationwide “No Kings” movement, Coloradoans demonstrated against the policies and actions of President Donald Trump and his administration on Saturday, from the Capitol lawn in Denver to the streets of Grand Junction.
Tens of thousands of people protested the entry of federal agents and military personnel into the United States in downtown Denver and more than fifty Colorado cities and towns. S. organizers claim that there are threats to the nation’s electoral, environmental, health, and educational systems, as well as attacks on immigrant families and cities.
Peaceful protests were held in parks, downtown areas, along highways and overpasses, in Aurora, Colorado Springs, Littleton, Arvada, Thornton, Commerce City, Loveland, Broomfield, Longmont, and Boulder.
Protest organizers organized demonstrations outside the Front Range in towns like Cortez and Steamboat Springs on the Western Slope and small Eastern Plains communities like Lamar and La Junta.
Thousands of people in Denver, dressed in everything from inflatable unicorn and dinosaur suits to jeans and flannel shirts, crowded Civic Center and spilled onto surrounding streets. Some protesters wrote messages in favor of democracy and group action, while others held primarily handcrafted signs denouncing Trump and fascism.
One sign read, “Trump skis in jeans.”. According to another, German soldiers were simply carrying out orders.
Dan Weitz, 62, of Niwot, was holding a sign that read, “I hate American Nazis,” with a picture of the Blues Brothers on it. He was dressed as a chicken, partly modeled after similar costumes worn by demonstrators in Portland, Oregon.
He claimed that people learn they’re not alone by attending demonstrations like the “No Kings” event at the state Capitol.
“I’ve always supported democracy and America, and it’s got to be called out when Congress abdicates its duty as an equal branch of government,” he said.
For roughly an hour on Saturday afternoon, protesters of all ages milled around Civic Center as speakers spoke to the crowd, which included protesters in their late 70s and families pushing infants in strollers.
The 48- and 21-year-old Thornton father-and-son team, Marcus and Mosa Farmer, said they attended the demonstration to express their disapproval of the Trump administration.
Mosa Farmer stated, “With our democracy being destroyed in front of our eyes and our freedoms being taken away, it’s important for people to make their voices heard.”.
Marcus Farmer went on to say, “This entire nation began as a protest against decisions being made without the people’s input.”.
Tia Decolati, 26, of Littleton, stated that she came out to show her support for the community and because she believes the Trump administration is hurting a lot of people.
She remarked, “The administration’s narrative is that protests are violent, ineffective, and indicate that we despise our nation.”. That is untrue, as evidenced by the large number of marchers. People are upset and furious about a wide range of issues, and the desire to unite in solidarity is evidence that we are all on the same page. “.”.
Moving to the streets.
At around 1 p.m., crowds started to march from the park onto Colfax Avenue. m. heading westward along 15th Street and beyond.
For at least half an hour, a steady stream of protesters joined the march, yelling “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go” and “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here.”. “.”.
As marchers passed by, Denver residents Cynthia Strawbridge, 73, and Nelson Chase, 77, stood by the Voorhies Memorial’s columns.
Afraid of government propaganda, the termination of federal employees, and cuts to foreign aid, they have participated in every protest in Denver since January.
“Some people blame the Boomer generation for where we are, so we feel like it’s time to do our part again,” Strawbridge stated.
As she described how many young people she saw at the protest, she covered her heart with her hand. She remarked, “It feels great to see.”.
bigger than the June demonstration.
Compared to the June “No Kings” protest in Denver, which drew an estimated 20,000 people, Chase said Saturday’s gathering appeared to be twice or three times as large. Although they were unable to be contacted for comment, the event organizers had previously stated that they anticipated over 12,000 attendees at the demonstration on Saturday.
Officials with the Denver Police Department stated that the organization does not make crowd size estimates.
Just past 3:30 p.m. A. Denver police reported on social media that after what they described as a peaceful march, it seemed the majority of protesters had left the Capitol and downtown. On Broadway and Colfax Avenue, other intersections had reopened, but Lincoln Street at 14th Avenue was still closed.
During the main protest on Saturday afternoon, Denver police reported making just one arrest, for knife possession. However, authorities later reported that a small group of protesters attempting to enter Interstate 25 near 20th and Chestnut streets were dispersed by police. 11 people were detained, according to Denver police, “during secondary marches, not the primary event.”. “.”.
On social media, the agency stated that officers began closing additional roads on Saturday night due to the continuous protests.
By 7:20 p.m. M. On Lincoln Street south of 13th Avenue, close to Sixth Avenue and Santa Fe Drive, and along South Broadway south of 10th Avenue, rolling road closures were taking place.
When compared to June, when officials from the Regional Transportation District closed Union Station and suspended most light rail service for several hours, Saturday’s demonstration seemed to cause fewer disruptions to public transportation in downtown Denver.
Due to the closure of Lincoln Street near Civic Center on Saturday afternoon, the agency had to detour at least seven bus routes; however, by 4 p.m., all service at Civic Center and Union stations had resumed as usual. M. officials posted on social media.
“I simply believe that to be unjust.”.
On Saturday afternoon, thousands of people protested against the Trump administration in northern Colorado along Eisenhower Boulevard in Loveland, holding signs, costumes, and musical performances.
According to Cheryl Barry, 68, of Loveland, who had previously seen nonviolent protest work in action, she joined the demonstration because she thought it could alter the course of the nation.
“Peaceful protest altered our perceptions of Vietnam and civil rights. “Hopefully, it will also change our perception of Donald Trump,” she said.
The estimated 1,000 people who registered for the event, according to organizers, were greatly outnumbered by the thousands of demonstrators who took to the streets of Longmont on Saturday afternoon.
Susan Conversano said she went to the “No Kings” protest in Longmont for a variety of reasons, including to oppose tariffs and support immigrants. The signs that her fellow demonstrators were holding impressed her.
“The amount of creativity and heart that people have put into this is so overwhelming,” Conversano remarked. There are moments when it truly makes me cry. “”.
There was a very specific reason why Naomi Valles Perez, 19, and her boyfriend Bryan Mendoza, 18, showed up in Greeley on Saturday.
“ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) can just go out on the streets, profile people, and just take them away,” Mendoza stated. It just seems unfair to me to learn that my family can be taken away without warning or explanation. “.”.
U. A. Representative. Joe Neguse claimed that while traveling to the Boulder and Erie events, he made stops at the protests in Longmont, Lafayette, Louisville, and Fort Collins. Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District Democrat Neguse described the large turnout at the Longmont demonstration as “incredible.”.
“To be able to walk with the people here is a privilege,” he remarked.
“This country does not have any kings.”.
According to a news release from the “No Kings” organizers, about 7 million protesters nationwide participated in Saturday’s demonstrations, including 2 million more people than in June.
According to the group, people participated in protests in over 2,700 cities across all 50 states. Protesters crowded Grant Park in Chicago, Boston Common, Times sq\. in New York City, and hundreds of other public areas.
This is the third nationwide demonstration since Trump took office again in January, and it coincides with a government shutdown that has cut off federal services and programs and put the nation’s fundamental power structure to the test.
According to a statement from Indivisible co-founders Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, who are members of the “No Kings” coalition, “Today, millions of Americans stood together to reject authoritarianism and remind the world that our democracy belongs to the people, not to one man’s ambition.”. A growing chorus of Americans who oppose rule is the focus of this movement, not just one protest. Trump may wish for a crown, but there are no kings in this nation. “.”.
Contributions to this report came from The Associated Press, Will Costello and Trevor Reid, and Dana Cadey of Prairie Mountain Media.
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