George Floyd Protests Continue In Denver With Marches Downtown

DENVER, CO — Hundreds of people have been marching in downtown Denver and gathering outside the Colorado State Capitol to protest the death of George Floyd, who died this week in Minneapolis police custody. The protesters have been chanting "I can't breathe" and "Black Lives Matter," among other slogans against police violence and racism.

Several people were arrested late Friday afternoon, according to multiple reports. At least one SWAT team was deployed in downtown Denver.

Protesters marched to Denver Justice Center Friday evening, and tear gas was deployed at protesters after they were seen throwing bottles at the Capitol.

Later Friday night, witnesses reported seeing protesters breaking windows at Colorado Supreme Court.

Early Saturday morning, some protesters reportedly set a car on fire.

Several photos posted on social media show some protesters spraying graffiti on the Capitol building and a statue outside.

Many government operations and meetings in downtown Denver have been postponed after the protests became destructive Thursday night. The Regional Transportation District suspended all bus and rail service in and out of the city Friday to "ensure the safety of staff/riders," transit officials said in a public notice.

Denver police officers made 13 arrests Thursday for burglary, criminal mischief and assault, city officials said. Three police officers received non-life-threatening injuries and are recovering. Denver police are also trying to find the driver of a vehicle that hit a pedestrian during the protest, the city said.

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Floyd was identified in a video that showed him gasping for breath while a white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for almost eight minutes. In footage recorded by a bystander, Floyd pleads that he cannot breathe until he slowly stops talking and moving.

The video quickly went viral, sparking nationwide protests calling for police reform and demanding justice for Floyd.

Chauvin and three other officers involved in the fatal incident were fired Tuesday, and Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in Hennepin County Friday.

"This is by far the fastest we've ever charged a police officer," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced at a news conference on Friday.

Aerial footage and reports Thursday night in Denver showed several protesters smashing the windows out of at least two vehicles parked outside the Capitol, and others spray-painted graffiti on the Capitol steps. Other photos show bullet holes in several Capitol building windows.

The Colorado legislature won't be in session Friday and Saturday due to concerns over the destruction, but the legislature is scheduled to convene Monday.

The Ralph L. Carr Judicial Center will also be closed until Monday due to demonstrations in Denver, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced Friday.

Mayor Michael Hancock and leaders with Denver Public Schools were scheduled to honor graduating seniors Friday afternoon, but the event has been canceled.

The protests Friday afternoon were more peaceful — more than 1,000 people held a moment of silence for Floyd at Civic Center Park.

Hancock continues to ask protesters to hold peaceful demonstrations.

"We must not turn on one another. We must stand united. The men and women of the @DenverPolice Dept. are not the enemy," Hancock said in a tweet late Thursday night. "For the last three months as we have weathered the storm of this terrible pandemic, they have put their lives at great risk protecting all of us.

"Like all of you, I am outraged at the senseless death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. His life matters and Denver has joined the chorus of those across the country demanding change and reform and consequences. And yes, we will protest loudly and make our voices heard.

"The road to recovery is before us, and all of us – black, Latino, Asian, white – all of us must recover together. That doesn’t mean we stand silent when injustice occurs – whether in Minneapolis or in Georgia or in our nation’s capital. We do not stand silent.

"We move, we act, and with respect, we create change – together. More than ever, we need to all pull together, because we can remake this world together, guided by equity and tolerance and justice," Hancock said in a tweet late Thursday night.

In a statement, Black Caucus Chair Rep. Leslie Herod said that "the pain and rage brought on by the death of yet another black man in America at the hands of law enforcement came to a boiling point in Denver."

"What began as a peaceful call for justice after the death of George Floyd and far too many others before him turned to chaos when the shots rang. By the end of the night, highways were taken over and protestors had been targeted and intentionally run over. My heart breaks for our community, our city, and our nation..."