Earlier I wrote about the vandalism and violence that took place in Seattle yesterday. In Denver a pro-police rally was set upon by a larger group of counter protesters. At least one person was arrested.

A group called Pro Police Rally Colorado had planned a three hour rally in the Greek Amphitheater.

The founder, Ron MacLachlan, told Denver7, “We’ve got to stand with our men and women in law enforcement. Without them, we are in chaos and anarchy.”…

The Party for Socialism and Liberation, and other Black Lives Matter supporters, including the Afro-Liberation Front, planned a counter-demonstration.

Armed with pots and pans, whistles, hand-held sirens and other noise making gear, they crashed the Pro-Police rally and drowned out those trying to speak.

“There’s not much else to say other than every cop here is a terrorist by association,” said one Black Lives Matter supporter, who asked that her name not be used.

The anti-police march started at the State Capitol. This group then walked over to the Amphitheater where the pro-police march was taking place.

.@DenverPolice said they reached out to organizers of the Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and said they can still proceed with their event but wanted them to know police aren’t asking them to speak up on their behalf. #9NEWS

— Jordan Chavez (@Jordan_Chavez) July 19, 2020

Once they reached the ampitheater there was a lot of shouting and chanting (1st clip below) and then some scuffles broke out. The 2nd clip below shows a man getting punched. You don’t actually see the punch but you see him go down and the Denver Post has a photo showing him with a bloody face afterwards.

Tensions are rising between the different groups here. It’s turning into a “keep your head on a swivel” situation now. #9NEWS pic.twitter.com/I5NrF8AKVB

— Jordan Chavez (@Jordan_Chavez) July 19, 2020

One scuffle between two women resulted in an arrest which you can see in this first clip. It’s not clear whose side the arestee was on but you can hear the anti-police protesters screaming as she’s led away so I’m guessing she might have been one of them.

Another punch thrown in this video pic.twitter.com/Etw5TucFrG

— Shelly Bradbury (@ShellyBradbury) July 19, 2020

One of the people who was at this event yesterday was Michelle Malkin. She livestreamed the entire thing including the moment when some of the socialist BLM people came onto the stage and assaulted someone.

*Law Enforcement Appreciation Day organizer Ron MacLachlan beaten w/longboard & bullhorn by BLM/Antifa.
*BLM/Antifa advance notice to police they intended to "shut" us "down." Police Chief knew. #TheyLetItHappen @denverpolice @jaredpolis @mayorhancock #DenverAnarchoTyranny pic.twitter.com/xHprcnkc0S

— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) July 20, 2020

Attorney Randy Corporon who organized the pro-police march said Chief Paul Pazen had asked him to consider moving the march.

“He was agitated that we’re going to get his officers hurt,” Corporon said before the event. “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 the rally organizers decided not to move or reschedule the event, in part because it’s happened annually in Civic Center Park for five years.

“We’re exercising our constitutional right to peacefully assemble, and we have no intention of giving up that ground to these domestic terrorists,” Corporon said, referring to the counter-protesters. He added that he believes Pazen doesn’t support his own officers…

Lillian House, an organizer for the Party of Socialism and Liberation, said they planned the counter-protest because a celebration of police is “unacceptable.”

I can appreciate the police chief not wanting to see his officers get hurt, but only one side of these dueling rallies hates the police. Having the police chief recommend the organizers not hold the rally because of the potential for the socialist mob to get violent is the heckler’s veto, i.e. if the mob makes enough threats it’s easier to ask the pro-police rally to go away. You would think that in this case the police would see the value of refusing to give in to the mob. I’m sure many of the officers do but their Chief doesn’t seem to get it.