DENVER — Protesters angry about the decision not to indict the police officer in Ferguson and Denver Police squared off on West Colfax Avenue near I-25 late Tuesday night.
Police blocked Colfax at I-25 with the goal of keeping the protesters off of I-25.
FOX31 Denver’s Julie Hayden reported police used two or three deployments of pepper spray to keep a crowd of about 200 protesters from getting on the Interstate.
Protesters in other cities had shut down interstates earlier.
PROTEST UPDATE: DPD did NOT "gas the crowd". There was a targeted deployment of pepper spray on a small group of protesters (hand held)
— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) November 26, 2014
Police said they made four arrests.
Two adult males were arrested for obstruction of roadway and interference.
Two adult males were arrested for obstruction of roadway.
They are Brendon Thompson, 26; John Thompson, 21; Sergio Juarez, 34; and Kaelon Champion, 20.
“Several hundred citizens gathered in Denver to protest the Ferguson decision,” Denver Police said late Tuesday night.
“The protest was peaceful and officers blocked roads and made extreme efforts to avoid conflict and allow for a peaceful expression of 1st Amendment rights.”
UPDATE: Crowd was ordered to disperse as they approached I-25 at Colfax. This was done in the interest of public safety 1/2
— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) November 26, 2014
2/2 Most of crowd left peacefully. A very small group was sprayed with pepper spray when they refused lawful order.
— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) November 26, 2014
The police statement continued. “At approximately 8:10 p.m. DPD officers formed a line to prevent protesters from moving on to Interstate 25. This was to preserve safety. A small group of protesters refused commands and grabbed officers. A hand held canister of pepper spray was utilized. Three people were arrested. DPD did deploy one smoke canister to test the wind prior to the arrests. No gas was deployed.”
Police later clarified that they arrested a fourth person.
After the confrontation, the crowd dispersed and a group of them headed back toward Civic Center Park via the 16th Street Mall in downtown. The Denver protest was over by about 10 :15 p.m.
The protest started earlier in the evening when dozens marched in downtown Denver for the second night in a row Tuesday to protest the grand jury decision in Ferguson, Missouri.
The crowd chanted, “Black lives matter too,” while holding hands up and holding signs with the Colorado Capitol as a back drop.
Denver protesters use milk to wash out their eyes after being pepper sprayed by police 
Police disperse protesters on Colfax near I-25 in Denver 
Protesters say they were pepper sprayed at Colfax near I-25 in Denver 
Protesters on the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver 
Protesters block the intersection of Colfax and Broadway in Denver 
Denver police block Colfax at I-25. Photo courtesy: CDOT 
Protesters gather in downtown Denver for a second night to demonstrate against the decision of no indictment in the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. 
Protesters gather in downtown Denver for a second night to demonstrate against the decision of no indictment in the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. 
Protesters gather in downtown Denver for a second night to demonstrate against the decision of no indictment in the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
There were numerous speeches delivered on a bull horn to a crowd that was quite a bit larger than the one that gathered Monday night. After the speeches they left the Capitol area and marched.
Denver police said because the crowds were moving, there were not any streets closed and traffic was not blocked until protesters reached Colfax and I-25.
#HeadsUp multiple protesters marching in large numbers in various locations downtown. Be safe and look out for peds in the road.
— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) November 26, 2014
RTD said some of its downtown light rail trains were delayed a few minutes because of the groups of protesters.
Some went by the courthouse and to the Denver Jail.
Crowd remains peaceful at Denver Jail. Begins marching again. #denverforferguson @KDVR
— justinjoseph (@justinjoseph) November 26, 2014
A peaceful demonstration Monday night included protesters stopping in intersections for four-and-a-half minutes … representing the four-and-a-half hours Michael Brown’s body was in the street August 9 after he was shot to death.