Palestine Tet – 43 – Jewish Coloradans protest the holding of major Jewish National Fund meeting in Denver

As they marched, protesters chanted and sang: “Not in our names, not in our names.”

“We’re here to shut down the (Jewish National Fund) and say no to what’s happening in Gaza,” Ellory Boyd, one of the protesters in the human chain, said.

The protest shut down the intersection for over an hour.

Those caught in the traffic included people leaving the Colorado Convention Center’s parking lot. Denver Police officers arrived at the scene to shut down nearby roads and direct traffic. Dozens of officers armed with paintball guns surrounded the protesters, who were chanting and praying for peace.

About half an hour into the demonstration, a DPD lieutenant announced they intended to arrest anyone who remained in the intersection for violating a city ordinance that prohibits blocking a roadway. While a majority of the protesters cleared the sidewalks, the human chain and several others who attached themselves to the rear bumper of the car with metal chains, remained.

After Denver firefighters removed the tubes connecting the circle of protesters, Denver police led them to sheriff’s department vans. A total of 15 people were arrested. DPD said they face charges of obstruction of a street, failure to obey police orders, and use of prohibited obstruction equipment.

As members of the protest circle were led to the vans, the remaining protesters cheered for those arrested.

“I really commend them. It inspires me to put my own body at risk,” said Zach Mouton, who joined the protest. “These are the kind of actions that have to be taken if our congressmen and our representatives aren’t going to listen to us.”