George Floyd Protesters Take to the Streets in Denver
Denver protesters took to the streets Thursday to speak out against the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The protest started when a small group gathered at the state house demanding charges against the officer who stood on Floyd’s neck with murder. They then took to the streets, marching downtown. Around 6 p.m., six or seven shots were fired into the crowd at 15th and Colfax. So far, no one has been apprehended for the shots fired. There were also reports of tear gas, rubber bullets, and other actions taken against the protesters.
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The Denver Police Department deployed officers in riot gear to subdue the protesters. A car also drove through the protests blocking the intersection at Colfax and Broadway and then turned around, appearing to head directly toward the protesters.
State Rep. Leslie Herod live-Tweeted about the gunshots she heard while she was at the Capitol. She claimed that the person firing “definitely” shot into the protesters and the crowd, a crowd she estimated to be close to 100 people. So far, no one has been reported injured or dead from gunshots, although some have taken to social media to share pictures of rubber bullet wounds.
“State patrol came and told everyone to get on the ground or run,” Herod said about the shots fired.
On Thursday prior to the shooting, DPD chief Paul Pazen issued a statement about Floyd’s death.
A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM #DENVER POLICE CHIEF PAUL PAZEN: pic.twitter.com/I4n8UulKhC
— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) May 28, 2020
More protests are planned for Friday and Saturday, and tensions are high on both sides as folks wonder what forms the protests will take, and what the reaction from police will be. Regardless of what happens in Denver over the next few days, it is clear that racial tensions have reached an all-time high in America and people want answers about the actions of police towards the black community.
Photo by Mike Bomberger
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