Environmentalists disrupt Colorado Governor’s speech

Environmentalists in Colorado are turning violent. Witness the interruption they caused at last week’s State of the State address delivered by Gov. Jared Polis. Police were called and had to physically remove some of the protesters who believe the governor isn’t doing enough to protect the environment and ban oil and gas activity.

As the Denver Post reported, minutes before the arrival of the governor in the House of Representatives, several people seated in the chamber’s upstairs gallery shouted “mic check!” before shouting various calls for new climate policy, including a fracking ban.

Multiple protesters could be seen being physically dragged out of the gallery, some in handcuffs. According to the Denver Police Department, 38 protesters were taken into custody on charges including trespassing, disrupting a lawful assembly and obstruction of a peace officer. 

There was a brief calm after a tense flare-up, and Polis entered the room to the customary standing ovation. He shook hands and, as soon as he took to the lectern, one person in the gallery shouted “ban fracking now!” and was swiftly forced out of the room.

At one point, protesters unveiled a large anti-fracking banner.

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Soon after, a large group assembled to chant and protest in the hallways of the Capitol, and some of their sound seeped into the House chamber where Polis was speaking.

This crowd, too, was quickly forced out of the building. An exasperated Colorado State Patrol officer could be heard yelling at the protesters for being disruptive.

“That’s never been my position,” he said.