This story was produced as part of the Colorado Capitol News Alliance. It first appeared at cpr.org.
Thousands of people gathered for a “No Kings” protest in front of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver on Saturday. The demonstration was one of more than 70 organized across the state.
Taking place nationwide, these protests mark the third “No Kings” protest since President Donald Trump began his second term.
Attendees protested the Trump administration’s policies, including recent actions to enter war with Iran and expand immigration enforcement actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They also spoke out against the failure to reach a budget agreement for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), causing a partial government shutdown.
Protestors carried signs stating, “No Monarchs except butterflies” and “Hate will not make America great,” among others, as they walked around Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Denver. Some stood along Broadway holding up their signs for cars to honk in support.
At 1:15 p.m., attendees walked to the corner of East Colfax Ave. and Lincoln St. to begin a three-mile march, ending back at the State Capitol.
Eladio Jaramillo, 48, carried a sign honoring Alex Pretti, the intensive care nurse with ties to Colorado, killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis on January 24. He said he wanted to keep Pretti’s memory alive.
“Obviously, things aren't getting any better,” Jaramillo said. “I think the more numbers we can get out here to show that people are fed up with not just Trump, this whole administration, the better.”
As a trans woman, Miley Giessuebel, 24, felt it was important to stand up for herself and her rights as well as the rights of other minorities.
“ There's a lot of people here just trying to spread community, and I think that's very important right now,” she said.
Giessuebel sat in the grass with Natasha Farmer, 29, who propped up a sign with the words “It wasn’t ICE to meet you.” Giessuebel explained that the phrase came from an old Batman movie where Mr. Freeze says the pun. Of course, in this instance, they were referring to a different type of ice.
With thousands standing up behind her, Farmer added that seeing so many people fight for change gave her hope.
“I think hope is a great tool to fight against fascism, and it makes people feel like, ‘Oh, I'm not alone, and there's other people that think the same way as I do,’” she said.
Annie Downs-Gable, 67, attended the demonstration with her husband with the intent to fight for a better future for her young grandchildren.
“ I have five granddaughters, one grandson, and I especially fear for my granddaughters as we're losing rights,” she said as her voice broke, “and just to be able to grow up in a country that really is free, that isn't run by billionaires and influenced by billionaires.”
While her fears over the state of the government were heavy, she explained that demonstrations like this felt joyful.
“ People really tend to lift each other up, and people from all different backgrounds come together and really support each other,” she said.
Alex Waechter, 38, came to the protest to “make sure women are seen and heard.” She emphasized that when people are being silenced, they need to keep rising up and “scream louder.”
“ I think protests like this, just like in Minneapolis, are what people can see and hear to let them know that they're not alone, and they're not the only ones thinking this, and that our city and our state and our country – although it might not appear like it — is very mad and angry,” Waechter said. “And if we don't say something, and we don't stand up for what we believe in, then it is not gonna change anything.”
Wayne McKenzie, 73, said he showed up to reinforce the values the country was founded on.
“ We believe in no kings,” he said. “That's what America fought for.”
