DENVER (KDVR) — What was supposed to be a peaceful student protest at the state Capitol Wednesday turned into an altercation between a few students and police, with one boy being physically removed from the session.
Body-worn camera video provided by Colorado State Patrol shows a Capitol employee engaging in conversation with students sitting in the House balcony section. State troopers surround the students and one girl begins shouting during the session. The session is immediately put into recess during the disruption.
The video shows troopers then move in and tell the students in the row with the girl, that they need to move so they can get to her and remove her. One trooper explains that he’s not asking them to leave but to move so they can get to her and if they don’t they will be moved. One boy stands and leaves and another boy sitting next to her refuses to move.
The troopers continue to tell him he needs to move and then grab his arm to try and get him up. He does not get up and the troopers proceed to get a hold of him and carry him by his legs and shoulders up the stairs and out into the hallway. The video shows the boy shouting profanity at the troopers while they are physically carrying him out.
The troopers set the student on the ground while he continues to shout profanity and insults to the troopers, the video shows. The boy can be heard saying that the troopers ripped his jacket and broke the backpack he was wearing.
The video shows officers picking him up to his feet, asking him to calm down and asking him if he would leave the building. He is told that he will be walked out of the building and not allowed to return. One of the trooper’s videos shows the boy being walked out of the Capitol.
CSP said the students were removed but did not provide any details as to if and how they were reprimanded after removal.