DENVER — A crowd thousands strong, many carrying signs and waving international flags, flocked to the steps of the Colorado State Capitol Wednesday as part of a nationwide protest against the new Trump administration.
In Colorado, the protest took place in the hours after a large-scale federal law enforcement operation at multiple locations across the Denver metro. Several agencies were targeting members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) and drug traffickers in an operation that spanned at least eight locations.
Immigration enforcement, and the Denver metro specifically, was a focal point of President Donald Trump's campaign.
At one point during Wednesday's protest, a group of protesters broke off from the crowd and marched around the Capitol building.
"It's really empowering. It's great to see," demonstrator Gerardo Rosales told Denver7. "There's multiple communities coming together for one cause and it's good to see. This is what the United States was founded on: liberty and justice for all and bringing us together for the greater good."
- Denver7's Brandon Richard has a report from the ground that shows the size of the crowd in Colorado. Watch in the video player below:
Lamine Kane is an organizer with the Colorado's People Alliance and a volunteer with the Colorado Rapid Response Network. He was up early on Wednesday to respond to the raids and attended the protest after that.
“Shock. Disbelief this morning. Like everybody woke up to these raids happening in different places at the same time, simultaneously," Kane said. “I know people who are grabbed away who have no criminal record, have all legal documentation. You know, I have people whose documents were confiscated and they were told to go pick it up at ICE.”
Kane is an immigrant, too.
"I grew up to become an American, right? I'm as American as you can say, and I am as proud of my heritage," Kane said. “Where do we all come from? Right now, there are systems and regulations. But beyond that, there's humanity.”
According to Kane, the raids are not representative of the Colorado he calls home.
“We're not letting the fear separate us. We're not letting the intimidation divide us," said Kane.
- Listen to what protesters hope will change in light of Wednesday's demonstration in the video player below
Javier Calcadea attended the protest in Denver as well, carrying a Mexican flag. He has dual citizenship, having been born near Mexico City and living in America for the last 25 years.
"We all united for ourselves," Calcadea said. “To come out of the shadows and say we are here. We have rights, and we want to be respected.”
Denver7 took the sentiments expressed at the protest to State Representative Ryan Armagost, District 64 - R, who has a law enforcement background.
“We are here to definitely support and defend everyone's First Amendment rights to do exactly what they're doing," Armagost said about the protest outside the Capitol. “I just trust the federal government in doing what they need to do to make sure that we're safe. And on the state level, I hope that we're willing to cooperate with the federal government.”
Armagost said he believes there is value in immigrants coming to America.
“There are just issues with the people that are here doing the work to get their citizenship, doing the work for student visas, work visas, that are unfortunately deported on simple technicality violations. And that's the unfortunate part when there are people that are here flying under the radar that don't get the same treatment," Armagost said.
As of Wednesday evening, at least one known member of Tren de Aragua was arrested during Wednesday's raids in the Denver metro.
Wednesday's protest at the Colorado Capitol was similar to those seen across the nation. Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside a federal courthouse in Philadelphia and at state capitols in Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin and Indiana.
Protesters waved signs decrying Trump; billionaire Elon Musk, the leader of Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency; and Project 2025, a hard-right playbook for American government and society.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport! Do something,” said one demonstrator’s sign in Philadelphia.
A movement is organizing the protests online under the hashtags #buildtheresistance and #50501, which stands for 50 protests, 50 states, one day. Social media calls for action included such messages as “reject fascism” and “defend our democracy.”
The crowd in Colorado was speaking out against several recent moves by the Trump administration.
"We're coming together – finally, our voices together are louder than one man, so that's what I'm hoping happens," demonstrator Sherry Schultz said. She noted that she is a retired teacher and is disabled. For those reasons, she was upset by the administration's moves to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs and potentially dismantle the Department of Education.
Denver7's Brandon Richard and Colette Bordelon contributed to this report.
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