Federal Judge Hears Arguments Regarding Protest Order

DENVER (AP) — Attorneys for the city of Denver say officers were just enforcing the law when they confiscated protesters' tent, chairs, signs and other items outside court last month.

Their argument came Tuesday during a hearing in federal court in Denver to determine whether Police Chief Robert White should be held in contempt of court for the actions.

It's the latest in a dispute over protests outside a Denver courthouse, where two men were charged with jury tampering for handing out jury nullification literature. They both sued.

The property was removed a day after U.S. District Judge William Martinez issued an injunction allowing activists to continue distributing pamphlets outside the courthouse. The protest was allowed to continue after the property was removed.

Civil rights attorney David Lane says officers violated the injunction.

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)