Aurora police are asking for the public’s help in identifying six people who pulled down an American flag and two other flags at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Aurora last week.
The group had broken away from the 2,000 people protesting the Trump administration’s planned immigration roundups Friday outside the ICE facility and headed toward the front of the building. The detention center is privately run by The GEO Group.
Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post
A protester grabs the American flag removed from a flag pole at the ICE detention facility in Aurora on July 12, 2019.
The incident made national headlines as it sparked outrage from various elected officials. Organizers of the Lights for Liberty Protest called the protesters rogues who endangered other attendees and detracted from the message of the protest.
The protesters removed the American flag and attempted to burn it, and they replaced the three flags with the Mexican flag, an upside-down “thin blue line” flag that with red spray paint, and a flag with “F##k the Cops” written on it, according to Aurora police.
Following the incident, Aurora Police Chief Nick Metz released a statement explaining that officers chose not to immediately intervene when the incident occurred to protect “the large majority who were acting peacefully, and the safety of the officers.”
“Our folks were more than ready to decisively engage had we witnessed assaultive behavior or damage to the building or surrounding property that could jeopardize its security or public safety,” he wrote. “Beyond the removal, attempted destruction of the US flag, replacement of the flags, and some signs and poles being put on the main doors and windows, the protesters did not engage in behavior that warranted immediate intervention.”
GEO/ICE representatives wanted to address the demonstrators immediately, but police asked them to hold off until they spoke with protest organizers, who ultimately urged the crowd to leave and the situation calmed down, Metz wrote.
Aurora police reviewed video and photo footage of the incident and released photos Tuesday, including of a man whose face is covered that can be seen dragging the American flag across the grass, a man holding the flag with the statement about cops, a woman holding up a cell phone, and a group of four people walking near the facility. The images can be seen on the police department’s website.
Aurora police have not yet made any arrests in the incident, police spokesman Matthew Longshore said.
Anyone with information that can help police identify the individuals in the photos can email apdcrimetips@auroragov.org or call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 where they can remain anonymous. Tipsters could be eligible to receive an award up to $4,000.
