FORT COLLINS, Colo. — After receiving numerous tips from community members, the Fort Collins Police Department announced Tuesday the arrest of two additional people involved in fights that broke out at a pro-police rally in the city Saturday afternoon.
The two additional arrests — a 39-year-old person from Gill and a 57-year-old person from Kersey — brings the total to five arrested and one person cited after a “Back the Blue” rally that began outside the Fort Collins Police Department. Counter-protesters also arrived and multiple disturbances later broke out.
A detective says those arrested and cited came from both the pro-police group and the counter-protesters.
The three people arrested Saturday — Anna Kruger, 25, Joshua Mischler-DeLeon, 37, and Michael Townley, 42 — are facing disorderly conduct charges. Kruger faces an additional charge of resisting arrest and Mischler-DeLeon an additional charge of possession of an illegal weapon. A fourth person, James Reitman, 42, was cited for criminal tampering, according to police.
Police have yet to identify the two additional people arrested Tuesday, both of whom were booked into the Larimer County Jail on disorderly conduct charges, police said.
Video footage shows members of the pro-law enforcement crowd walking toward a smaller group of counter-protesters and then fights break out. It was unclear how the fights began.
“We respect everyone's right to peacefully assemble. Our officers have consistently supported these rights in recent months as people have gathered to make their voices heard. For the safety of our community, acts of violence and other unlawful behavior have not and will not be tolerated from anyone,” said FCPS Chief Jeff Swoboda.
Chief Swoboda released a video statement, and is available to view here.