Thousands — including Denver’s police chief — marched Monday against police violence and the death of George Floyd

'The only way they will listen to us is if we show up in masses like we have today.'

By
David Sachs| Donna Bryson, Denverite
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Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen marches and speaks with demonstrators on Monday, June 1, 2020, as they peacefully protest the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. (Hart Van Denburg/CPR News)
Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen marches and speaks with demonstrators on Monday, June 1, 2020, as they peacefully protest the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

Denver’s police chief walked arm-in-arm with anti-racism protesters Monday during a peaceful march that contrasted with several nights of clashes between his officers and demonstrators.

“We will stand with you and we will walk with you,” Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen told a crowd at Civic Center Park before joining the march to a park near the Denver Performing Arts Complex.

One demonstrator asked about an Instagram post that showed three Denver Police dressed in body armor with the caption “Let’s start a riot.” Pazen, who called for an internal affairs investigation into the post earlier on Monday, said he was upset by the photo.

“I was hurt by the post. We need to bring the temperature down,” Pazen said.

Read more from Monday’s protests at Denverite.

David Sachs
David Sachs is Denverite's city reporter. He has spent a decade as a journalist between Denver and Washington, D.C. He’s especially interested in the science of cities, and the people and policies that shape them.
Donna Bryson, Denverite
Donna Bryson is Denverite's housing and hunger reporter, and a Denver-based author. Her new book, Home of the Brave, recounts how a small American town took on the big challenge of helping military veterans reintegrate into civilian life. Bryson is also the author of It’s a Black White Thing, which explores racial attitudes amongst young South Africans and won first place in the non-fiction book category of the National Federation of Press Women’s 2015 Communications Contest.