On Friday night, a group of protesters gathered outside of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility ahead of the immigration roundups that were reportedly set to occur over the course of the weekend. While the majority of those who arrived were peaceful, one group stormed the barriers, removing an American flag and raising a Mexican flag.
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The incident took place outside of an ICE facility in Aurora, Colorado, according to a report by the Denver Post.
While the majority of the protestors remained on the street and protested peacefully, a relatively small group headed toward the building, hopped the barriers, and pulled down an American flag.
Then, the group raised a Mexican flag in its place.
Protestors on @ICEgov property just pulled down the American flag and replaced it with the Mexican flag. The group by the doors is growing. Though most protestors are still on the street. pic.twitter.com/X2waaFMEOW
— Matt Mauro (@mattmauronews) July 13, 2019
The Colorado state flag was also taken down. In its place, the protestors raised a defaced American flag upside-down, an orientation that is supposed to be a signal of distress.
A third flag – that featured an anti-law enforcement design – was also raised outside the facility by the group.
Those flags remained in place for a few hours. Once the situation was quelled, police removed the three flags that were put in place by the protesters.
Police take down Mexican flag and defaced American flag outside ICE immigration facility. pic.twitter.com/CfDmYDtzxv
— Jaclyn Allen (@jaclynreporting) July 13, 2019
Shortly thereafter, the American flag was back in place outside of the ICE building.
The American flag flies once again outside Aurora ICE facility. #LightsforLiberty pic.twitter.com/VvG85odmKF
— Jaclyn Allen (@jaclynreporting) July 13, 2019