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6 Protesters Arrested In Connection With 4 Separate Protests In Aurora

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - Aurora police have arrested five people for their roles in inciting a major protest outside a police station in July. Of those five arrested, three of them face additional charges, including felony charges for inciting a riot, in three separate protests that occurred on June 27, July 12 and July 25.

Hundreds of people surrounded entrances to the Aurora Police District One station during a protest on July 3.

The protest was in response to to the 2019 death of Elijah McClain and recent disciplinary action against four police officers involved in an inappropriate photo related to McClain's interaction with police.

One of those officers, Jason Rosenblatt, was one of the officers involved in the death of McClain last August. Protesters demanded the remaining two officers involved also be fired.

Elijah McClain Rally
(credit: CBS)

During the July 3 protest, one person was arrested on charges of obstructing a highway/passageway and failure to obey. Police issued a citation for one other person for obstructing a peace officer and failure to obey. Roughly 600 protesters surrounded the district substation on East Montview Boulevard in what was described on social media accounts as an "occupation." Protesters barricaded streets and doors, and prevented more than a dozen Aurora police officers from leaving the building. Doors were secured with wires, ropes, boards and other items.

Some in the group were wearing tactical gear and carrying weapons ranging from handguns to rifles. Leaders demanded the two officers involved in the initial detention of McClain in August 2019 be fired, and said they would "occupy" the station and that "no one would come in or out" until their demands were met.

APD TWEETS TO MOVE VO.transfer_frame_100
(credit: CBS)

Officers could not leave the building for seven hours. It wasn't until Aurora police's Emergency Response Team dispersed the crowd around 3 a.m. on July 4 that the situation ended.

"We support the First Amendment right of people to protest peacefully in our community but there is a difference between a peaceful protest and a riot," DA Dave Young said in a news release. "When individuals cross the line and break the law, they will be prosecuted."

Those arrested in connection with the July 3 protest face charges including Attempted Kidnapping, Attempting to Influence a Public Servant, Inciting a Riot, and False Imprisonment, among others.

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