DENVER — Advocates held a rally Friday near where racist and anti-migrant signs were found the day before, bolted to several bus stops along East Colfax Avenue.
“This is not the city that we grew up in,” said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas at the rally at Colfax and Garfield Street. “This is not the city that we live in, and this is not the city that we're going to accept.”
An RTD bus driver first reported one of the signs about 5 a.m. Thursday, according to the Regional Transportation District (RTD). The metal signs were attached to the bus stop's pole at East Colfax Avenue and Oneida Street.
Two other signs were found at bus stops near the intersections of Colfax and Garfield, and Colfax and Yosemite Street. RTD said it was coordinating with Denver Police to investigate each incident. Denver Police said signs were also found along Colfax at Colorado Boulevard and Nome Street.
Denver Police said they are investigating the case as a bias-motivated crime. At the very least, there could be city charges for posting the signs.
“I think a very emotional subject," Thomas said at Friday's rally. "I think that people that are expressing hate in our community is something that we should all be emotional about.”
Thomas said Denver Police has strong leads for the person or people responsible.
“We do have video that is going to be helpful identifying a suspect, yes,” he said. “I’m not going to talk about whether or not we have a suspect that's positively identified."
Similar signs were found at Chicago Transit Authority bus stops. RTD said it was reaching out to other transit agencies around the country to determine who is involved in the coordinated racist activity.
"RTD strongly condemns the hateful, discriminatory message portrayed by the signs," the agency said in a release. "There is no place for racism or discrimination at RTD or within the communities we serve. The signs do not reflect the organization’s adopted values or promote a welcoming transit environment for all, nor should such vile messaging be tolerated or supported by anyone."
Denver City Council member Shontel Lewis said the signs are derogatory and are an opportunity to look at racism through a wider lens. She said it's not surprising.
“It's the rhetoric in this country,” Lewis said. “And I think this is an opportunity for us to be honest as a country about who we are. And also honest about who we want to be. And as long as we continue to accept this as normal, like that's who we will be.”
She encouraged people to speak up.
“I just want to make sure that we're not silent about it," Lewis said. "I think sometimes people can't figure out how to enter a conversation because they don't want to bring light to, or shine a light on, for these individuals who might be wanting folks to talk about things in this way. But I also understand like it's really important for us to not sweep these things under the rug because we begin to accept those things as normal.”
Anyone who saw suspicious behavior near the RTD bus stops early Thursday morning is asked to contact RTD. Anonymous reports can be made using RTD's Transit Watch app or by calling Transit Police dispatch at 303-299-2911. Tipsters can also text 303-434-9100.
> A photo of one of the signs is below:
Other local leaders condemned the signs on Thursday.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said on the social media platform X: "I am aware of the shameful signs found around our city. This type of abhorrent & racist behavior is absolutely not welcome here. Denver is a welcoming and inclusive city that gives opportunity to people from all walks of life, & we will fight to ensure that remains the case."
Gov. Jared Polis said on X: "There is no room for hate in our state — these horrible and racist images — funded by unknown groups — are meant to stoke fear and hate in our communities. I thank Denver Police for working quickly to end the defacement of public property and thank our Department of Public Safety for reaching out to Denver Police to assist. Coloradans reject this hate-fueled rhetoric and we won't tolerate it — our fight to build a Colorado for All continues."
"As a community, we must stand united against hate in all its forms," the Denver City Council said in a statement. "The recent appearance of racist signs in Denver is deeply troubling and does not reflect the values of our city. Denver is a place of inclusivity, diversity, and respect, and we will not tolerate messages of division or hate. We stand with all residents in condemning these acts and reaffirm our commitment to building a community where everyone feels safe, valued, and heard. Let's continue to uplift one another and stand strong against racism."