DENVER – Hundreds of people are expected to rally at the Colorado State Capitol this Saturday to demand the release of several protesters charged this week in connection with rallies calling for racial justice over the summer in Aurora.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation – Denver is organizing the “Drop the Charges! Solidarity with Arrested Anti-Racist Organizers” rally and march on the west steps of the Colorado State Capitol beginning at noon Saturday.
The organizers say the arrests of Lillian House, Joel Northam, John Ruch, Terrance Roberts, Whitney Lucero and Trey Quin are “an obvious frame-up aimed at stopping the movement for justice for Elijah McClain."
They also argue the actions of the district attorney’s from the 17th and 18th Judicial Districts “are part of a concerted national assault on the Black Lives Matter movement, an attack driven directly from the White House, from Governor’s mansions, and from local police chiefs and police departments around the country.”
The six who were arrested were charged with felonies and other counts related to four separate protests which happened on June 27, July 3, July 12 and July 25.
Among the charges for the six are counts of attempted kidnapping, inciting a riot and theft, according to news releases from the 17th and 18th Judicial Districts issued Thursday afternoon.
Neither district attorney’s office released affidavits for the six people’s arrests, so the exact details of what allegedly transpired that led to the charges were still mostly unclear Friday afternoon, though each office released minor details in their news releases Thursday.
By late Friday afternoon, more than 250 people said they would be attending the event.