A large protest in Denver, which began at the Colorado State Capitol, quickly turned into a march down a Denver street on Tuesday evening. The demonstration, organized to rally against the rising number of deportations in Colorado and across the country, involved hundreds of protesters who voiced their opposition to federal immigration policies.
Peaceful Gathering Turns into March
The evening started peacefully at the Colorado State Capitol, where protesters gathered to express their concerns. By 6:15 p.m., the crowd began marching down Lincoln Street, temporarily blocking all lanes of traffic. Another group of protesters joined the march about an hour later, making their way up the same street.
The Colorado State Patrol was on hand, working to stay ahead of the marchers and block oncoming traffic. The protest also caused service disruptions for RTD, affecting several bus routes throughout the city. As the night wore on, police blocked marchers from accessing Interstate 25, further controlling the flow of the protest.
National Context of Immigration Protests
The protest in Denver was part of a larger wave of demonstrations across the United States. The White House has directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to ramp up daily arrests, aiming for 3,000 arrests a day nationwide, according to CBS News.
Protests have also taken place in other cities such as Dallas, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, where demonstrations have been ongoing for several days.
Tensions have been high, particularly in California, where protests escalated on Monday evening following a day of peaceful demonstrations. In response, President Trump announced that the number of National Guard troops patrolling Los Angeles would be doubled to 4,000, a number that local officials believe outnumbers the protesters. The troops are expected to remain in the city indefinitely.
Denver Protesters Demand Change
While security concerns surrounded Tuesday’s protest in Denver, the demonstration remained peaceful. The protesters in Denver, like others across the nation, were expressing their frustration with what they see as targeted raids in immigrant communities, which they claim tear families apart.
Organizers have been calling for an end to these raids, and some even demand that ICE be abolished altogether.
Other protesters in Denver are advocating for state and local law enforcement to stop cooperating with federal immigration agents, a message that resonated strongly given the recent events in Los Angeles.
One protester shared a personal experience, explaining that her father had been deported a few years ago, and the trauma of family separation still affects her today. She voiced a desire for others to avoid experiencing the same pain her family went through.
Law Enforcement Preparedness
Denver police, Colorado State Patrol, and other law enforcement agencies have been monitoring the protest closely. While they are prepared to respond if necessary, the protest has, so far, remained peaceful. As protests continue across the nation, the demand for change in federal immigration policies grows louder.