Larimer County sheriff's deputies escorted one protester from the Donald Trump rally in Loveland on Monday after he led people with signs out of an enclosed "free-speech area" to stand on the sidewalk so people driving past could see their signs.
Alan Franklin, political director with ProgressNow Colorado, as well as a handful of other protesters said the deputies and mounted members of the Sheriff's Posse corralled them away from the curb, coming very close to them with their horses, and threatened arrest if they didn't return to the fenced-off free-speech zone.
"I consider this to be a very big violation of the First Amendment," said Franklin after he was kicked off the grounds of The Ranch events center complex. "These folks done screwed up."
He was the only protester forced to leave, though others were threatened with arrest if they did not return to a designated free-speech area, which they did.
The protest continued after that, with emotions running high at times as Trump supporters, filing into the rally on all sides of the free-speech zone, and protesters yelled, chanted and insulted each other.
Kelly Bangma of Windsor stopped in her tracks when she heard protesters chanting "Pay your taxes" to Trump. She stepped close to protesters, pointed at their faces and explained that she, like Trump, is a business owner.
She said people who claim Trump pays no taxes because of the controversy surrounding his personal income tax records have no clue how many other taxes business owners pay.
"Business owners are the heart of America," said Bangma, the owner of a dairy.
Another Trump supporter jumped up and down in front of the chanting protesters and tried to drown out their "Loveland trumps hate" with her own chant, "You're uninformed."
'We don't like hatred'
The nearly 30 protesters, however, held their ground, calling out Trump on income taxes, hatred and the need for a "real president" in America. They argued that Trump is a racist, a sexist and a clown and does not truly represent Colorado.
"We don't like hatred," said Bowdie Hernandez of Greeley, while Gena Ozols of Denver added, "Donald Trump has said so many derogatory things toward women, toward minorities."
Kathy Mendt of Windsor held a sign that said "Dump Trump" above drawings of steaming piles of poop. She felt compelled to speak out.
"There are a lot of really smart people out there, really smart voters, and I don't think people are as well informed as they should be," Mendt said.
"I'd like to do what I can to awaken people to the issues that Trump represents."
She was one of the protesters in the designated free-speech area, which was set up in a courtyard outside a building on the events center complex that is the equivalent of about one block from where the rally was held.
Early afternoon, when Franklin was there, the protest zone seemed far away from Trump supporters. By rally time, however, parking lots were full, and nearly everyone who was headed to the rally passed the protesters.
Franklin, who attends many political rallies and protests throughout the state, said he was offended by the fenced-off area well away from the road. He thought protesters, who were not causing problems, should be able to hold their signs next to the road so motorists could see, and even walk up and down near the line of people waiting to get in.
"I've been doing Colorado politics since 2004, and I've never seen anything like this," said Franklin, shortly before he decided to step outside the designated protest area with the comment, "I love the smell of civil disobedience in the afternoon."
He and a handful of other protesters walked about 20 feet from the free-speech area to the sidewalk along the road that leads to the parking lots inside the events center complex. That is where deputies and posse members ordered them back to the protest area.
Several protesters said the officials told them they had to be in the designated area because it is on "private property" and "private public property," which fired up Franklin. The protesters, he said, were being peaceful and not belligerent when deputies confronted them.
Public or private property?
Deputies on scene would not explain why they asked Franklin to leave or answer the question of why they would say the county events center is private property. They referred inquiries to Sheriff's Office spokesman David Moore, who said Sheriff Justin Smith would answer questions Tuesday.
County Commissioner Steve Johnson, however, when reached by phone, looked into the private-public property issue. The Ranch is public property, he said.
However, while the First Amendment does ensure free speech, Supreme Court rulings allow law enforcement agencies to place "reasonable restrictions on the time, place and manner" of expression.
"So while I agree with the deputies' actions and believe the time, manner and place of assembly can be regulated reasonably ... the justification that it is private property, if that is in fact what they said, does not conform with our understanding," Johnson said after consulting with County Attorney Jeannine Haag.
Protesters, while unhappy with being asked to return to the designated zone, were equally unhappy with the lack of real explanation from the deputies.
"I'm appalled our First Amendment right is being stomped on," said Linda Ligon of Loveland in regards to the free-speech area, while Karen Brock of Loveland, during a gust of wind, added, "A foul wind is coming to Loveland."
Geof Givens of Fort Collins said he returned to the free-speech area when asked by deputies.
"I talked to them respectfully, and they were nice to me," he said. "I just don't think Trump is right for America. It's important enough that I came out to protest."
Windsor residents Mendt and Kacy Murray said Trump doesn't mesh with their values, and they were upset by the designated area where they were forced to stand with their signs and by how confrontational they thought deputies were when they simply weren't sure where they were allowed to stand.
Once they found the free-speech zone, however, they were critical of being placed inside a fenced area well away from the people lining up to support Trump.
"It's an oxymoron, isn't it," said Mendt. "You have a free-speech area. Free speech behind the fence."
Pamela Johnson: 970-699-5405, johnsonp@reporter-herald.com, www.twitter.com/RHPamelaJ.