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Updated 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17: Hundreds of demonstrators marching through downtown Denver on Saturday afternoon caused rolling road closures, police officials said.
Streets around the state Capitol were intermittently closed because of the demonstration, the Denver Police Department said at 1:20 p.m.
All road closures were lifted as of 3:15 p.m.
Protesters gathered on the steps and lawn of the state Capitol at noon on Saturday to demonstrate against actions by President Donald Trump’s administration, including the recent surge in immigration enforcement in Minneapolis and the fatal shooting of Renée Good[cq comment=”cq” ] by a federal immigration officer.
Original story: Denver police and Regional Transportation District officials on Friday were bracing for potentially disruptive demonstrations downtown on Saturday before and during the Denver Broncos’ football playoff game and other high-traffic events.
The Denver Police Department “respects people’s right to demonstrate” and will monitor planned demonstrations, agency officials said in an emailed statement. “DPD’s approach to demonstrations is to allow people to march or gather peacefully, and to conduct traffic control to help ensure safety. It’s those assaultive, destructive, and/or highly dangerous behaviors that prompt police intervention.”
RTD officials issued an alert Friday morning, warning demonstrations may disrupt the public transportation they’re suggesting Broncos fans use to get to the game, saying they are “taking steps to prepare.”
A “One Year is Enough” rally was scheduled at the Colorado State Capitol from noon to 3 p.m., part of “a continued commitment to fighting against the oppression we see here and abroad,” according to an emailed notice from the Denver Coalition Against Trump. After that, a “Colorado Bridge Trolls” resistance dance party was planned.
The coalition includes 50501 Colorado, the American Friends Service Committee, Aurora Unidos, the Denver Aurora Community Action Committee, the Denver Alliance for Street Health Response, Denver Anti-War Action, Denver Students for a Democratic Society, the Denver Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Teamsters for a Democratic Union.
RTD officials said they expect increased ridership on buses and trains Saturday because of the demonstrations, the Denver Broncos playoff game that kicks off at 2:30 p.m. on Empower Field at Mile High, the Denver Nuggets basketball game at Ball Arena, and the National Western Stock Show.
They said they’re coordinating with police and advised riders to monitor RTD online alerts for updates.
“While RTD is focused on being prepared for the demonstrators with the potential to disrupt services, it can be difficult to predict crowd actions in the moment,” the RTD statement said. Transit staffers will monitor events “to support public safety” and “to the greatest extent possible minimize service disruptions.”
RTD’s alert said demonstrations could disrupt transit on 23 routes — including bus routes 0, 1, 6, 8, 9, 10, 15, 15L, 16, 19, 20, 28, 32, 38, 43, 44, 48, 52, 83L, 120X, ART, FF, and FREE and the D, E, H, L, and W rail lines.
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