Denver police officers were told to withdraw before demonstrators attacked a pro-police rally on July 19, the head of the city’s police union said.
“I found out that a retreat order was given by the incident commander,” said officer Nick Rogers, president of the Denver Police Protective Association.
“And we had one lieutenant step up and said, ‘We’re not leaving.’ And this lieutenant said, ‘These people are going to get killed if we don’t stay.’ So he kept his group there. And that’s the only reason that this didn’t get worse, because somebody broke rank and decided to not retreat. And they stayed so that they could provide some assistance.”
Rogers was speaking on KNUS radio.
The Denver Police Department told The Epoch Times that officials are reviewing what happened at the rally. For now, the department is declining to comment on the specifics of what transpired.
Michelle Malkin, a conservative activist, and Colorado House Minority Leader Patrick Neville, a Republican, were among those scheduled to speak at the rally, which was held at Civic Center Park in Denver.
Video footage showed a group of Black Lives Matter demonstrators and people dressed in gear similar to that worn by the far-left Antifa group approaching the stage shortly after the rally started. Some were wielding weapons such as a collapsible baton and a metal rod.
They then began assaulting people at the rally, according to video footage from the scene and accounts from those involved.
“Nothing was done as women who were wearing Trump gear and holding their flags were throttled and strangled by other brutish women, women all dressed in black and paramilitary gear,” Malkin said.
Rogers, who wasn’t at the event, said he came forward because after he learned what happened, he was embarrassed and saddened.
“Michelle, anybody that’s listening who was there, that’s not the rank and file, that’s not the cops. That decision was made by someone else, it’s wrong, and I’m sorry,” he said.
Neville said on Fox News’s “Tucker Carlson Tonight” that the pro-police group was “essentially surrounded by Antifa” and outnumbered 4 to 1.
“We were completely surrounded and then, before I know it … one of my friends was beaten down by four or five Antifa members.”
“And then eventually we had to evacuate,” he added. “All this occurred right on the stage of the facility where we were supposed to be having our rally. It wasn’t like it was a minor scuffle on the outskirts of the rally. It was right there on the stage,” Neville said.
It wasn’t clear whether Denver Mayor Michael Hancock or Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, both Democrats, were involved in the stand-down order, according to Neville.
The offices of Hancock and Polis didn’t immediately respond to requests by The Epoch Times for comment; neither have addressed what happened. Hancock this week joined other mayors in urging President Donald Trump not to send federal law enforcement personnel to their cities.
Attorney Randy Corporon, who helped organize the rally, said Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen requested beforehand that the event be rescheduled or moved to a different location, citing a planned Black Lives Matter counterprotest.
“He was agitated that we’re going to get his officers hurt,” Corporon told the Denver Post. “My response to him was that he should allow his officers to do their job and if people are down there breaking the law, to stop them. Because they’ll have nothing to fear from us.”
Corporon said Pazen should resign because his officers stood by as the violence occurred.
Lillian House, part of Denver’s Party for Socialism and Liberation, which helped organize the counter-demonstration, told the Post that most of the demonstrators on her side weren’t violent.
“The majority of the crowd was simply making noise and making verbal resistance to their pro-police celebration,” she said. “To act like the physical confrontations that happened were initiated primarily by us is just absurd.”
Malkin said that people should be politically and civically engaged, but added, “If you’re going to do it, you can’t rely on the police.”
The same thing is being repeated in Democrat controlled cities all across our country. Hopefully the police officers that chose to disregard the retreat order and instead elected to protect the lives of peaceful protestors will NOT be punished for doing the right thing. Yes, while they were technically insubordinate, by refusing a direct order from a superior, the circumstances involved justified their actions in the pursuit of saving lives.
The focus needs to be maintained on the Democrat elected officials running these cities, who refuse to uphold their oath of office to maintain public safety. They ALL need to be removed from office ASAP.
Why retreat , the protestors should retreat, sorry No more for pro police rallies.
& other pro America rallies like RNC in FL & NC.
When are these antifa/blm punks going to get back what they deserve? They think violence is their only choice? I believe in “eye for an eye”, and some good Beatdowns will send them back crying to their mommie’s basement. You can’t “negotiate” will these thugs, so speak their language!
I thank God I don’t live in a disgusting city like Denver with their demorat mayor. He is a moron. Colorado is full of former California losers who are running our state as that disgusting state. They need to go back to californica.
Defending yourself with lethal force seems justified.
It’s about time that true police officers stand up and do their job correctly. And, please God get rid of the idiot that gave the order to leave!
I am shocked to think that Denver City leaders and our Governor would allow BLM protestors to turn into vigilantes and harm those trying to hold a peaceful protest. It’s not right that Dems in high places are putting peaceful citizens in harms way by these Antifa and Black Lives Matter thugs who had no business at this peaceful protest. Denver so called leaders have shown their true colors by giving the stand down orders and they are just as guilty as Antifa and BLM for those that were harmed. It seems obvious that they are part of the problem with what’s going on in this country.
Disgusting and shameful. Oh Denver, you should be SO proud of your city.
It is as though the Democrat mayors and governors are just going to ignore this violence until gun shots ring out. What is going to happen then? They will point the finger of blame at someone else, and that will likely be the president. These malcontents, rioters, protesters, Marxist Antifa folks are lining up with the Democrats anyway that you look at it. The responsibility rests squarely on these state and local elected officials, and not the law-abiding federal officials. To not protect the pro-police group was criminal.
So I am trying to understand why POLICE would NOT PROTECT people that are there to support them???
This is shameful behavior on the part of police who are supposed to serve and protect and government officials whose primary responsibility is the safety of ALL their citizens. Shame on the feckless officers, the negligent city officials and the criminally biased governor. That peaceful rallies can’t happen due to fear of violence is NOT the American way.
Whatever the LAWS are in the area, i.e. city, county or state, enforcement should be applied.If you have broken the law you are subject to arrest. If you demonstrate or don’t agree, do it peacefully. That;s O.K., but when you come in masked, with clubs and other weapons, then you are assaulting or have an intent, which is against the law. When you do this then you are in defiance of the law. When the police are instructed to relinquish to the protesters, then that is an admission of defeat. This then gives a message to the violators, we are winning so we can do whatever we want, then the anti-fa thugs take over and destruction ensues. When the authority breaks down and/or submits, law has been defeated and will suffer the results.
What’s absurd is that OUR right to peacefully assemble, OUR right to protest, OUR voice is being silenced by these terrorists; sanctioned by our ELECTED officials. Denver, so very sadly, has the government it deserves because this is what Denver elected in 2018. It’s disgusting. And if you think it won’t happen in your town, in your state, please think again. For 40 some years Denver was infiltrated by the left on purpose & on plan. It’s happening in Salt Lake City now & has been going on for about 20 years, maybe more. Look for the victim ideology; blacks are suppressed, LBGTQs are unfairly discriminated against, & on & on. Learn what BLM stands for. They aren’t hiding what they are. They have come for us. Well, we need to fight back. We need to turn them back & bring hell with us.
Just another city I won’t be going to visit and spend any money. I’ll just stay away from the whole state.
When are law abiding peaceful people on both sides of the isle gong to wake up and realize what is going on is not peaceful, it’s not what America stands for. BLM Movement has publicly stated it is a Marxist movement. BLM Movement leaders have publicly stated they intend to burn our system down and replace it with one they like. Their words,not mine. BELIEVE THEM.
For those that don’t comprehend that what is going on is really a full attack by Communists in the US.
The Democrat party’s leadership includes many Communists. Communism is on the rise in the US. And I believe they are working with China in order to stop what was President Trump’s US economic escalation.
The Clintons and Obama are examples. People can realize the truth by reading the book “You
Can Trust the Communists (to be Communists), written in 1965 and can be found free online if you search the title provided. The first 20 pages or so are slow reading but after that, I couldn’t put the book down. This book really opened my eyes to exactly what is occurring now in the US.
This book states the USSR only allowed those to visit that they believed they could use and then remember, they gave permission for Bill Clinton to visit when he was a Rhodes scholar.
Bernie Sanders was able to visit, as there are pictures of him dining with the Communists.
People should ask, why were these two men (Clinton and Sanders) were so infatuated with Communist Russia.
Obama also has Communism in his upbringing. Remember Obama and Michelle hung Mao Christmas ornaments on the White House tree and no one made a big deal out it. Of course, I don’t think it was widely reported by our media which seems to be on board with “transforming” America.
Open borders policy is part of it also as the US wouldn’t know how many schools, hospitals etc we would need with open borders, it would create chaos, bring down the country and the open borders crowd would rebuild as the desired totalitarian country they want. How would we ever protect our country from future pandemics if we had no borders? I think Coronavirus showed Americans why we need secure borders.
This is why Hillary was so furious she isn’t the US president now because I assumed she would have been the last US president by bringing down the US with whatever she would have implemented. The US Communists thought they were so close…..and then Donald Trump rose to take on these Commies and try to save America. After him, I have no idea where the US will go since they have indoctrinated so many young people within the education system to love Socialism/Communism.
Please read this book and become aware of exactly what is going on. These riots really aren’t about this black man and the police. It goes much deeper than that. Soros and others called out their dogs.
Have we figured out yet that we are in a Civil War?
Nancy calls our Federal Police “Storm Troopers today!
It’s time to fight these Communists in the Street.
I will never live in Denver again. As a former resident of the Metro area, I’m ashamed of what the city and state has become in the last 15 years since I left. This event is just another indicator of what happens when liberalism runs amuck and becomes far leftist in orientation. Denver was once a great city, but under democratic control it holds only a shadow of it’s former glory. Good-bye Broncos and Rockies. I can no longer support this city in any way – even from afar.
A few days ago, a report came over the radio describing a local leftist group that had prevented the arrest of a hardened criminal. This action was actually endorsed by the city’s mayor!!
So, again, I wrote to the mayor. I was civil but firm in my outrage that this kind of nonsense is allowed to happen, and that the mayor actually stood in the way of law enforcement doing its job.
Why are we paying taxes? In the good old days, good behavior was rewarded and criminal behavior was dealt with in such a way that prevented further harm. Time for all of us to rise up and demand this. You can start by writing a letter or making a phone call today. The more we express ourselves, the faster someone will listen.
But this needs to happen by the thousands in each town, by millions across the country. I hope you will participate!
Sounds like a bunch of whimpy ass dense oc RATS that are in bed with the blm/antifa slug thugs.Its way past time to let these criminals know that the real AMERICANS will NOT put up with this”BULL EXHAUST.If the police need help stopping these criminals just ask for help from the people that are totally sick and tired of these”BASHERS”.
So what happened to the Lt. and his officer’s that was going to disobey the stand down order??
I don’t know about you but if it was me at that rally, there would be some body bags filled. Anyone that would attack another person who is unarmed with a club and or a baton would need an education at the end of a .45!!!
When are our fellow conservatives going to realize that these antifa and blm slugs are dangerous and need to be put where they can’t hurt anyone ever again–like the morgue!!
This breaks my heart. Lord, please help us.
I think the idea of the Democrats who do not support their police or do not encourage them to protect the good and peaceful people, or the residents and business owners; is that they want them to become subordinate so that the Socialists can eventually take over. Just read the history of Germany in the 1920’s, 1930’s and 1940’s. A certain group insidiously began to take over thought and government. And the moral fabric of society began to unravel. Life was no longer a miraculous blessing. And the finger of blame was pointed to the opposition, even when they had done nothing wrong or did the right thing morally. Think about it. That is where we are. We need to work and pray so we will not repeat what followed.
No one should be able to tell the PD that they are to not protect a peaceful demonstration from the likes of these thugs. The police chief who passed the order down should go also. Simply another example of corruption in politics. Any police officer whose job is public safety should not take or abide such an archaic order.
People injured by mobs should sue the city and/or state government because the government didn’t protect them. And the citizens of these places need to vote for Trump-supporting Republicans to get rod of the democrat fascists. Rise up America and throw off the chains of the democrat oppressors and their enablers, George Soros and the big corporations!
If the police didn’t have a union and if Michelle Malkin weren’t reporting, would we ever even know what happened?????
It’s about time Patriotic Americans Crush this so called Antifa/BLM they did enough damage to Democrat cities with all there breaking into Stores stealing, setting building on fire, cars, creating nothing but trouble everywhere they go, except Republican Cities there afraid to go into those cities. They need a good American beating one they won’t forget then will see how tough they really are. I wonder why not one of the Antifa/BLM have to get up every morning and go to Work???
As the Nazis learned at Nuremburg, you must only obey LAWFUL orders! The police should do the jobs which they took an oath to do and if the DIMMwit mayor doesn’t like, have a severe pandemic of BLUE FLU!
polis and hancock should BOTH be prosecuted for dereliction of duty and not abiding by the oath they BOTH took to protect ALL citizens. Not just democrats, rioters and “protesters”. In a battle of war, the tactic the “protesters” is using is called a siege.
Bring your weapon and when they attack or make advances toward you show them your weapon. Isn’t there a law of self defense? Maybe not, look what happened to those people in Mo. who tried to defend their lives and property.
They are now charged with a crime. I guess tearing down your fence and carrying weapons is ok because they claim it was a peaceful protest. Can we carry weapons and call it a peaceful protest? How about Molotov cocktails, batons and pipes. Is that considered an appropriate thing to bring to a protest.
Quit playing games and fire these inept mayors and governors for dereliction of the oath they swore to protect all their constituents.
Back the police and the President
Enough said
Time for the water cannons
“Most protesters weren’t/aren’t violent”…yeah, and “most Germans weren’t Nazis” either. If you join, support, or March with, a mob of protesters you are helping them. If some of them engage in violent or criminal behavior, you are still helping them, unless you try to stop those rioters doing that, as a few folks have done. If BLM or Antifa mobs regularly contain violent, criminal rioters, and the organizers don’t, won’t, or can’t control them, then anyone marching with their group is guilty of helping them. They wouldn’t be able to engage in their violent and destructive rioting without the large mob behind them, and we all know that. So all you virtue signalling social justice warriors, you can’t hide behind your “good and just cause” if you join the mob. You are just as guilty of their violence and destruction as the most violent Antifa fanatic with a Molotov cocktail. Accept your guilt and responsibility or leave the mob!
Having read several of the comments on this article, I wonder when folks in Denver, Chicago, NYC, Seattle, Detroit and other cities “taken over” by Antifa and BLM will stand on their collective feet and demand a recall of the Mayors and Governors that not only idly stand by while riots, looting, violent physical and sexual assault and murder take place on an almost daily basis as in Chicago and NYC! The Federal Government, notwithstanding the objections from these lunatic Mayors and Governors truly have every legal right to intervene and stop these atrocities and send these Antifa and BLM thugs back to wherever they came if not to Guantanamo Bay Military detention. Perhaps then, these thugs would have a different view of the perils of creating public insurrection.
If peaceful protests are in the Constitution, then people that don’t allow this and interrupt or destroy or injure should be held accountable.
I don’t get it. Why are they not?
It is time for the conservative majority to protect ourselves. It is time to protect American Citizens from anti-American Socialists Terrorists such as BLM and Antifa!!!
The Democrats want as much mayhem and unrest as possible leading up to the November elections. It benefits them. When things are going well, people are employed and the economy is strong, and Americans are happy with their way of life, Presidents are re-elected for a second term. If there’s civil unrest and people are unsure or unhappy, it benefits the Democrats. Why else would this be happening in so many Democratically run cities across the country? It’s part of the plan to oust President Trump. Nothing else has worked and we can’t let this work either.
I personally conceal carry…and I will tell you right now, they started on me, I would have shot them….this looks like this is going to be the only way to put them in their place since the mayors and governors are unwilling to do anything to stop it and the poor police are in a catch 22 and if this happens, the leaders will be responsible….if they think that just because they are black that they can do what they want, they are wrong. Most of these protestors and agitators are white young people who needed to get their butts set on fire with a paddle when they were little…..they are being paid by someone and I believe it is George Soros who needs to be taken out. I am getting pretty angry and I believe that most of America feels the same way…and I am including the black communities also…I believe that all law abiding citizens are getting a gut full and when the dust settles, there are going to be a bunch of dead young people laying in the streets…you simply cannot continue to attack people and not get hurt yourself.
…. “somebody” broke rank and decided to not retreat ….
One Police Officer, worthy of the title, God bless him, remembered the oath every one of them has sworn: To uphold the values of the community he serves ….
And honored that rather than doing the ‘Eichmann Manoeuvre.’ (“I was just obeying orders”)
DEMONRATS: The only thing I can face is this= the democrats have abandoned the party to allow for the DEVIL to incarnate those extremists paid by soros and his ilk.
All the demonic activists who decide to prevent people from exercising their GOD given right to free speech are the TYRANTS the ForeFathers of the country were warning us against. It is time to activate the “EYE FOR AN EYE” retribution and action. The PEOPLE of the US have to stand up to the racist barbarians who will not allow you to think. It is time to activate the RIGHTEOUS ANGER in response to the attacks to silence us into submission.
Why wasn’t this video showed ad nauseum like the Floyd video?????
This is the socialist/dem game plan, they know they are getting ousted so they will leave a huge mess for PRESIDENT TRUMP and the new mayors and governors to deal with while they go off and enjoy all the millions they stole from the AMERICAN people, they should all be investigated and locked up and fined every penny they have, put them on welfare.
Kudos to the lieutenant who refused the retreat order. The politics of the day demand that the rioters must be given free berth to do as they wish. That is in direct contravention to the basic rule of law in this nation. The silent majority will not be put upon much longer. Clubs, nailed shillelaghs, brickbats, molotov cocktails and other improvised weapons are deadly in the right hands. Eventually they will be met with non-improvised weapons of commensurate lethality if the public will be left to it’s own devices for their own protection. Avoiding this is supposed to be the purpose of the rule of law.
Suggestion – it is time for the Police Unions to become proactive in those jurisdictions where mayors and/or governors allow (and even encourage) the thugs to flourish. The Unions could simply take a vote of their members and if a majority of their members concur, issue a vote of “No Confidence” for each of these dimwit politicians. And if the Unions have any starch in their backbones, they could also extend the “No Confidence” vote with a formal demand that the offending politician resign from office forthwith. Time to draw the “Line in the Sand” and stand up to these libtard Demsheviks’ wimp responses to public safety needs.
Dems defend? The right to protest of violent criminals, but not the right of honest law abiding citizens, so then only thier side have rights? I think the polititions should be sued by everyone that was attacked, make them pay, that will change thier attitudes. We need to take back the streets.
I am so grateful, Daniel 2:28 “But there is a God in heaven……” One day He will rule on this earth and perfect truth and justice will prevail. Come quickly, LORD Jesus.
This is why gun sales have drastically increased. People are beginning to realize that they may have to protect themselves if politicians refuse to let the police do their jobs and protect their citizens.
THANK GOD someone had some sense and did not obey such stupid orders!!! That Lt. should be rewarded BIG TIME! No telling how many lives he saved. One thing is VERY CLEAR…any democrap who supports antifa and the blm needs to have their heads examined! Do these mayors/govs actually think they are going to be rewarded for being good little stooges when TSH the fan??? These goons will run right over them just like anyone else. They are being USED and are expendable!!!
And of course. Nobody knows who gave the Order to stand down? Gee, I wonder why. Taking responsibility scares the s— out of the Press and the Chief of Police. Could there be agent of Antifa , who has access to the Police Headquarters, and / or has the authority to give such an order???
Defund Black Lives Matter and antifa…Follow the money trail…..Arrest all these terrorists