Continued demonstrations against the by now well established openly fascist government of the U.S.
, the day of a national shutdown. Around noon in front of the state capitol there were people on both sides of the street and honks of support from passing cars.The crowd was mostly composed of people about high school age.It seemed like it was just going to be a small rally, but then the cops closed the street as a much larger crowd (also composed almost entirely of students) marched up to the steps.The rally turned into a march, about a block long, down 13th to Lincoln Park.BRG-L28 holding the asphalt down.There were already in the park two to three times as many people as were in the march."Matthew 25 not Project 2025! Love over hate!""NO KING" painted rock."No ICE—only snow."Night of .A big march this time.Kicked off right at 6:00 pm."ABOLISH I.C.E.""You shall Love the Strangers, for YOU Were Strangers in the Land of Egypt." Deut. 10:19."Freedom Means Peace for ALL—Immigrants Are American Values."The route zigzagged down to 14th St., then headed northwest. Passed by theatergoers in their going-out clothes."Inasmuch as ye have dont it unto one of the least of these my brethern, ye have done it unto me. ICE OUT NOW."Passed through LoDo and all the bars.Then zigzagged up past Union Station.And past Coors Field."The people united will defend immigrant families!"It was a long walk. Got back to the capitol about 2 hours later.. "No Kings" 3.Big crowd this time, maybe the biggest so far.The trees were in bloom, very pretty.View of the crowd looking east from Civic Center Park.Weird pile of mushrooms."Mennos for Justice and Peace."Drone flying over the Merrick parking garage.View of the drone from below. It was connected to the roof of the parking garage by a tether.These four guys were on the roof as well. Police in the cars on the ground.From up on capitol hill looking west."Eat shit and die fascist scum."The head of the march several blocks away……while the middle hasn't started moving yet."F*ck Donald Trump F*ck ICE & long live the Grateful Dead.""Iranian kids' lives matter.""End this stupid war now! Draft Barron."Way north on Lincoln, turning onto 20th.There was a drone in the air as we turned the corner.I think I spotted the operator on the balcony of an apartment building.Unicorns on the hoof.Went up to Coors Field at 20th and Wazee.Here there was a standoff. The majority of the march turned left on Blake; one block later at Wazee there was a row of pigs of various affiliations blocking further movement towards the highway. Partial license plate ??V-436.The protesters initially formed a line about one block away.A drone that was hovering over the police line and pointed at the line of protesters.No doubt about their intention; this recording was playing on loop: "The Denver police department. You will be denied all highway access. All reasonable force will be utilized, including chemical munitions, to deny this access. Please turn and march away from the highway."The protesters cautiously advanced.Some visible numbers: 13037, 17013.Fear not, billionaire rapists. The Moustache Brigade is on the case.License plate CSP-994. "Special Tactics and Response."A closer look at the drone.In situ to judge the height.Hood 3725. Vanzant 8977. Colorado State Patrol.R.(?) Avila 0090. Colorado State Patrol.B. R.(?) Manibusan 0474. Colorado State Patrol. Special Tactics and Response.Hilliard 0483. Colorado State Patrol.T. E. Binkley 171157. Colorado State Patrol.B. R. Smith 140174. C. M. Jackson 4541. Colorado State Patrol.This one had a handwritten nametag made of tape that I didn't get a good angle of.There were two separate police lines: one on 20th where it dips down, and one on the upper on-ramp towards the highway. Here a motorcycle cop was scanning the scene from the upper position with what looked like a smartphone held sideways.I had walked away down Wazee. When I got to the end of the block, police reinforcements rolled up and headed towards the flank of the protesters.Partial license plate BAE-???.License plate BSG-509.There were a bunch guarding the off-ramp as well.I had hung out at the standoff so long that the rear of the march had already passed by. I walked back to the capitol by myself, but as I got there, the main body of the crowd was just arriving and nearby streets being closed again.Back at the Merrick parking garage, a man in a light blue uniform and ball cap looking over the edge, near to where the drone tether led down to.At 15:00 MDT, the drone was still flying."Fear is the end of freedom" —Alan WattsBattle Pussy playing "Killing in the Name".Around 15:10 I noticed a helicopter circling. There hadn't been one earlier.At 15:13, the drone was no longer flying.A different man in the drone position, with a dark uniform and no hat.The light-blue man had moved to a different part of the roof and was talking to a plainclothes man.The same guys from before on the other end of the roof.From up on the capitol steps, there were trucks visible on the roof with "K-9" markings.Daffodils and tulips in front of First Baptist.. Palm Sunday. "Faith Rising: Path to Love & Liberation" on the capitol steps."God's love knows no borders.""Jesus was a refugee.""Love thy neighbor. Matthew 22:37–40; Leviticus 19:18; Mark 12:31; Romans 13:9…" "Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly. Micah 6:8""Dearly Beloved: We are gathered here today to dismantle this thing called ICE.""Lutherans support refugees!"Palms handed out. The speaker explained that palms were a symbol of Jewish rebellion against Roman rule."Coloradans Demand Oversight and an End to ICE Detention Funding.""No ICE. Free Palestine. Trans rights."
