Update: 4:00 p.m.: Three arrested at Trump protest on 14th Street.
Three people were arrested during a Trump protest around 11:30 a.m. Friday after Trump protesters and Trump supporters got into an argument, according to the Denver Police Department.
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The crowd of Trump protesters and supporters grew throughout the day from 50 to roughly 100 people on a corner of 14th Street, across from the Colorado Convention Center. The crowds began to thin after the presumptive Republican nominee’s speech concluded around 12:15 p.m.
After the keynote speech, a small Republican rally was held on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol Building. A few protesters gathered at the capitol to continue protesting after the speech.
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Roughly 50 protesters were gathered outside of the Colorado Convention Center at 9:30 a.m. Friday before Presumptive Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump’s keynote speech.
Protesters began to arrive around 8:30 a.m. on 14th Street, across from the Colorado Convention Center. Authorities have barricaded the west sidewalk to prevent protesters from gaining access to the convention center.
Trump was scheduled to begin speaking at 10:30 a.m. at the Western Conservative Summit, an event held each year by the Centennial Institute and sponsored by Colorado Christian University. However, Trump did not appear on stage until 11:25 a.m.
Students from Colorado Christian University, veterans and members of progressive groups were present at the protest.
“The values we hold as a student body do not necessarily align with Donald Trump’s,” said Jacob Monroe, student protester from CCU. “So, we’re out here trying to make that clear and represent Jesus the way he needs to be represented. We want to take that seriously.”
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Colorado Christain University students protesting the #Trump speech their university is hosting today pic.twitter.com/OHeYRFrGln
— Erin Douglas 📝🌎🕵🏻♀️ (@erinmdouglas23) July 1, 2016
Members of the group #VetsVsHate were present at the protest. Elizabeth Kelly, a CSU alumnae and United States veteran, held a sign that read, “Veterans Against Hate.”
"I just don’t want to see @realDonaldTrump use veterans as sort of props for his agenda." -CSU alum Elizabeth Kelly pic.twitter.com/wwZno3dzDj
— Erin Douglas 📝🌎🕵🏻♀️ (@erinmdouglas23) July 1, 2016
“I just don’t really want to see anyone, particularly Donald Trump, use veterans as sort of pawns or props for his agenda,” Kelly said. “We support inclusion…Donald Trump does not speak for all veterans. To me, it’s just really obscene how he would co-opt people, some who have their lives on the line, for his political purposes.”
A few blocks down from the 14th Street protesters, ProgressNow Colorado, a multi-issue education and advocacy organization that promotes progressive ideals, built a cardboard box wall at Civic Center Park.
#TrumpProtesters are building a cardboard box wall today in Civic Center Park. #WesternConservativeSummit pic.twitter.com/BEZPCH5RiL
— Erin Douglas 📝🌎🕵🏻♀️ (@erinmdouglas23) July 1, 2016
The “wall” was painted by local artists and will be dismantled around 12:30 p.m., according to Ian Silverii, executive director for ProgressNow Colorado. The boxes will be filled with food, clothes and school supply donations for Growing Home, an anti-poverty organization based in Adams County, Colorado.
“We think that too many politicians are trying to divide us, so we want something that unites us,” Silverii said. “We’ve been accepting donations…all day and we hope to fill up as many of these boxes as we can. We’re trying to do something to bring our community together today.”
Follow the CSU Collegian on Twitter for more Western Conservative Summit coverage @CSUCollegian.
Collegian News Editor Erin Douglas can be reached at news@collegian.com or on twitter @erinmdouglas23.
