Pro- and anti-Trump protests in Colorado draw hundreds

Proud Boys members and others chant in front of the Pearl Street courthouse, Saturday, June 3, 2017, in Boulder, Colo. The Proud Boys held a rally Saturday on the Pearl Street Mall. They were met by counter-protesters, including anti-Trump protesters.
Proud Boys members and others chant in front of the Pearl Street courthouse, Saturday, June 3, 2017, in Boulder, Colo. The Proud Boys held a rally Saturday on the Pearl Street Mall. They were met by counter-protesters, including anti-Trump protesters.

DENVER — Pro- and anti-Trump protests in Denver and Boulder drew several hundred people, including about 25 men associated with a far-right group at Boulder's rally.

Police said the Boulder demonstration was scheduled by a far-right group called Proud Boys Colorado to exercise "free speech," the Daily Camera in Boulder reported. Counter-protesters outnumbered the group by about 10-1.

Around 25 people associated with the group stood behind police barricades and traded insults with more than 200 counter-protesters, police Sgt. Robyn VanDerLeest said. One counter-protester was arrested, and several others were detained, she said.

"These people need to learn not to (expletive) with the Boulder Republic," counter-protester Rob Anderson told the newspaper. "These people need to know they have no place in Boulder."

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Some of the people behind the barricade wore "Make America Great Again" caps associated with Trump's presidential campaign and waved American flags.

One protester with the smaller group who said his name was Josh Frashuer said he came out to exercise his constitutional right to free speech, the Camera reported. "I'm for western Chauvinism," he said. "The West is the best. ... America is the greatest country on Earth."

About 300 people on Saturday demonstrated in Denver against President Donald Trump. About half a dozen police monitored the rally along the Platte River near downtown. No counter-protesters showed up and the rally was peaceful.

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