Thousands of protesters gathered around the steps of the Colorado Capitol on Wednesday then marched through downtown Denver to demand the state’s elected leaders to take action against the federal funding freeze and other Trump administration policies being enacted.
The rally was one of a number of demonstrations across the country to protest President Donald Trump’s early actions — from the immigration crackdown to his rollback of transgender rights and a proposal to forcibly transfer Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
Outside the Capitol, protestors wore Mexican flags around their shoulders and waved gay pride flags in the air. Others held handwritten signs that read “Fight Facism,” “We the People Say No to Project 2025” and “Together we rise.”
Several people held signs that read: “Para mis padres que vinieron sin nada y me dieron todo” — which translates to “For my parents who came with nothing and gave me everything.”
“My people come here and work so hard. They provide for this economy, this state, this country,” Lizz Valeria said. “I’m here because my mom can’t be here. She’s too scared to go out, to go to the grocery store.”
Many of the protesters were Hispanic high school students, some who said they were there for their parents because they were too scared to attend or too scared to voice their opinions.
Lisa Wehrli, deputy chief of climate and safety for Denver Public Schools, said students at North, West, Lincoln, Manuel and CEC Early College left classes at about 10 a.m. “and they marched here. Lincoln rode the RTD. I don’t know what time they got here.”
Colorado State Patrol said the crowd was about 4,000 people around noon at the Capitol, and listened to speeches before they started marching just before 3 p.m. Protesters streamed from the West Steps across Lincoln and Civic Center parks to Denver City Hall, filling in as marchers made their way along West Colfax from the Auraria rail station.
After marching through downtown, about 1,000 people tried to block Interstate 25 but were turned back by police vehicles parked on Colfax Avenue and returned to the state Capitol. Below the capitol’s steps around 4 p.m., more people covered the yard and chanted as passing cars honked in solidarity.
Metzli Aragon of Denver attended Wednesday’s protest as a way to honor her Chicano parents, who immigrated from Mexico without legal status. She danced to the Aztec-Mexica beat of a drum alongside other Indigenous dancers, their blue skirts billowing in the wind as a crowd formed a circle around them.
“These are meditative prayers in movement,” Aragon said. “We’re praying for humanity, we’re praying for the land, the community, everyone’s spirit.”
Christina Schill of Denver danced alongside Aragon, having met each other about a year earlier in their dance group. For her, protesting is a way for her to speak for the voiceless.
“I know several people who want to come be a part of this, but they can’t because they’re not documented,” Schill said. “They stay hidden in the shadows, and we speak for them.”
Ed Sandoval, 70, of Denver is a regular protest participant because he cares about people with disabilities.
Although he didn’t plan to attend the protest due to his health, he felt better on the morning of the protest and learned that his niece would attend. He offered to join her, stepping off with the crowd as a march began Wednesday.
Aden Nix, of Northglenn, stood on the steps of the Capitol hoping to rally the crowd to stand up for immigrants’ rights.
He told The Colorado Sun his aunt was recently detained by federal immigration agents even though she is documented.
“There’s nothing different between us and Americans. We are still people,” said Nix, a first-generation American. “Like I said on stage, this is a country that’s built upon immigrants. It’s something America has always been proud of.”
Cici Sandoval, 29, traveled to the protest from Arvada after making a poster. She learned about the demonstration in a Facebook group chat where she and other Chicana women keep track of ICE activity in the city.
Although she had never attended a protest, protecting her family is what motivated her to make her first appearance.
“I wanted to do this so we could have a brighter future,” Sandoval said. “I want this for all my people, for the futures of my nieces and nephews and their kids, for them to be happy with who they are and what they want to do with their life.”
Before going to the state Capitol, some protesters started at the Denver offices of U.S. Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet.
Diane Connolly, of Boulder, was among 15 people who waited outside Hickenlooper’s office Wednesday morning, asking for the senator to take more action to stop the Trump administration’s sweeping changes in what she called a “constitutional crisis.”
“I am incredibly concerned, scared and outraged that we have a private citizen who is in our national computers at (the Office of Personnel Management), at the Treasury, and I believe in other federal entities with unfettered access to all our personal data,” Connolly said of Elon Musk, who was appointed as a special government employee under Trump.
“I’m really, really disappointed that we’re getting, sort of, Democrats as usual in a situation that is a constitutional crisis. The house is being burnt down right now, and we’re getting an introduction of bills,” she said.
Before meeting with Hickenlooper’s aides for about 30 minutes Wednesday morning, Connolly said she spoke with Bennet’s staff outside his office to share similar concerns, calling for more leadership by Colorado’s elected senators.
Moments after the meeting, Hickenlooper shared a video to social media urging people to “use every tool” at their disposal “to disrupt the chaotic actions of the Trump administration.”
“If they try to force through another nominee that will harm Colorado, I will oppose them. If we need to hold the Senate floor, vote all night, or disrupt business as usual, we’ll do it,” Hickenlooper said.
“Let’s get so loud they can’t drown us out. We’re in this fight together.”
Hickenlooper’s office has been flooded with voicemail from concerned residents, one aide said, adding that they have received 4,000 calls since Monday.
Mike Stolp-Smith, of Evergreen, said they felt “desperate” and showed up to Hickenlooper’s office Wednesday, feeling their letters weren’t enough to bring attention to legislation that is threatening their loved ones.
“I’ve been queer my whole life. I came into my own under George Bush when there was a lot of this anti-gay and anti-LGBT rhetoric in general and I’m seeing it in this resurgence,” Stolp-Smith said. “Now I’m here to defend myself and I’m asking them to help defend me. As it stands, I do not feel like they are going to protect me.
“I’m so desperate to do something. And it’s not just me, it’s my community, the man that I love,” they said, breaking down crying. “It’s everyone I care about and I want this country to be what it purports itself to be. I want it to live up to the best of its ideals.”
Wednesday’s demonstration was largely peaceful, but a police spokesperson said three protesters were arrested, including a 39-year-old woman for obstructing traffic on I-25, a 31-year-old man for tagging electrical boxes and an RTD bus stop and another 31-year-old man for writing “coward” and “traitor” with permanent marker on patrol cars.
The crowd outside the Capitol dissipated by 8 p.m., though roads were still bustling with vehicles as demonstrators left for the day.
