In some cities, the Right to Assemble costs $10,000
By DEBORAH MARTINEZ MARTINEZ
The No Kings Day on March 28, which has been reported to have been the largest national protest in U.S. history, was observed in cities across Colorado.
The Durango Herald, an independent newspaper in Durango, CO, reported that 3,200 people attended the No Kings protest on March 28 which is unusual for a Republican county. However, newspapers owned by Gannett and/or Scrippts in Denver reported the capitol city’s protest on page four although a reported 30,000 people attended.
Greeley Tribune newspaper reported the event without much detail. A resident of Greeley said that a protest did occur and it was well attended. The Indivisible NoCo (one of the organizers) website said, “But rallies alone can’t stop authoritarianism. Authoritarian movements thrive when people limit their participation to symbolic moments. What actually slows and stops them is the unglamorous, persistent work that happens between rallies: organizing voters, pressuring lawmakers, supporting local journalism, building broad coalitions, defending democratic processes, and showing up in the everyday spaces where power is exercised.”
How much does Freedom of Assembly cost became an issue in some places. Some communities paid for march permits from their local police departments, such as Durango, and some did not, making the protests an act of civil disobedience.
In Pueblo, crowd estimates were rough, but the many different organizations did not pay for the permit, street barriers, million dollar insurance, and the off-duty police officers as required. Therefore, Pueblo police were not visible at the protest. Pueblo County Sheriff vehicles were out in force with as many as five cars on Union at one time and other vehicles on side streets. Observers said that on the Union Avenue Bridge, two sheriff cars with microphones urged walkers to move to the narrow sidewalks over the bridge. Walkers, some in wheel chairs, were urged to climb over the nearly two and a half foot wall to reach the sidewalk.
One person said that the organizers were not trying to police people because the streets are public as well as sidewalks.
Colorado Springs residents did conduct a protest on Unita and Nevada as reported on Channel 11 KKTV news (2:49 min.) and Channel 13 news but did not list numbers of attendees.
Costs of organizing a large protest typically include the permit, a one-million dollar insurance, barriers for all streets closed, and off-duty police officer to oversee barricades. In Pueblo, potential costs of the event start at $10,000 for the street barriers, according to an employee of A-1 Rental.
The Pueblo No Kings organizers opted not to obtain a permit, barricades, and hire police security. The several organizing groups did provide their own security including the Brown Berets, and member security.
Alamosa Citizen Facebook reported that “hundreds” lined the Sixth Street to Main Street to protest for No Kings Day. From the photos posted, common themes were democracy (“Democracy is worth fighting for: RESIST”), war protest (“He lied to you” and “No King No War No Ice”), support for immigrants (“Jesus was a refugee” and “Unmask ICE”), anti-trump (“Regime Change NOW; Vote 2026” and “Dumbass Donald Deals in Death Destruction, Disinformation equals Distraction”).
Although ICE officials did not make a showing, they were on the mind and signage of many. An unnamed resident of San Luis Valley said that Alamosa conducts monthly vigils against ICE on Sundays with 300 to 400 participants on Main Street. In Pueblo, weekly protests at the corner of Abriendo and Fourth Streets are visible weekly.
In Longmont, the Boulder Daily Camera reported that there were between 3,000 and 4,000 people in attendance. The event was billed as a way to “mobilize to express anti-authoritarian sentiments.” “Music was provided by the groups Grandmas for Justice and Joy and Singing Resistance Longmont.”
One speaker is quoted as saying, ““If one man can ignore the law, detain people without due process and drag this country into a war without the consent of its people, then we are no longer living in a democracy,” he said. “We are living under a king, and we are here today because we refuse to accept that.”
Boulder’s rallies, there were two, attracted 9,500 people according to the count committee records.
