A protest set to music: Two weeks ago, a small group of Cherry Creek High School students organized a Black Lives Matter demonstration at the Greenwood Village City Hall, protesting a resolution adopted by the City Council that would disregard a portion of the police accountability law approved by the General Assembly in June.

Greenwood Village officials had blocked demonstrators from coming anywhere near City Hall with a snowplow and other barricades.

On Monday night, they were back, with about 800 friends, including nationally-renowned recording artists Nathaniel Rateliff, the Flobots and Wesley Schultz of the Lumineers.

Rateliff has joined in the Black Lives Matter protests, authoring a letter to the city that said they would not perform at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater until the city council rescinds the resolution.

At issue: the civil liability provision In Senate Bill 217. A law enforcement officer who acts in bad faith or unlawfully can be personally sued, with damages of up to $25,000 or 5% of the judgment, whichever is less. Greenwood Village’s resolution 40-20 sent a message, according to demonstrators, that their police officers would never commit an unlawful act, hence the city would pay for those settlements.

Monday night’s demonstration drew hundreds to the lawn outside the Greenwood Village City Hall, carrying signs and as darkness fell, marching around the streets surrounding City Hall. Led by the Denver eight-piece Brothers of Brass and Spirit of Grace – a trio of Black women who sing with the Flobots – demonstrators sang “Keep Your Eyes on the Price” and chanted “Black Lives Matter!”

No one is above the law, including law enforcement, said Democratic Rep. Leslie Herod of Denver, one of the organizers of Monday night’s march. Herod was one of the sponsors of Senate Bill 217. In an earlier statement, she said “Greenwood Village’s terrible decision to short-circuit police accountability means that Black people, and for that matter anyone who comes into contact with their armed municipal security forces, are not safe. As long as Resolution 40-20 is the law in Greenwood Village, it would be dangerously irresponsible to hold, attend, or promote any event at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater located in their city.”

Democratic State Sen. Jeff Bridges, who represents Greenwood Village, told the crowd that “our law enforcement must be exemplary, not exempt.” The resolution adopted July 6 “sends a dangerous message to police and a disheartening one to people of color,” he added. “It is my hope and demand that our officers follow the same laws as everyone in the state.”

Bridges told Colorado Politics he has been in close contact with the city manager and some of the city council members. It’s his understanding that the resolution did not intend to protect criminals within law enforcement. “I don’t think that they’re far away from 217, but the question is whether they are willing to put those sentiments into policy…that they would not defend officers acting in bad faith.” 

It’s up to them whether to say they would stand for law and order or stand with law-breaking officers, Bridges said. 

One counterprotester joined the crowd Monday evening. Karen Haley of Greenwood Village said she feels bad for the loss of lives, but that there are more good police, and that the media is twisting the truth about the resolution. “They’re saying we’re racists. That’s not it. We have good police and they need our support. It has nothing to do with race, and it has to do with supporting the police.”

Spirit of Grace, a trio of Black women, began the evening, singing an acapella version of the Black National Anthem. Brothers of Brass, an eight-piece brass band that plays New Orleans-style jazz, also performed, and are becoming regulars at Black Lives Matter events. “We came out during the protests during the first week, and momentum just picked up” and they were asked to join in, said banjo player Christian Shaw. The band played backup for Rateliff Monday night and later led demonstrators on the march around Greenwood Village City Hall and some of the city streets. 

Spirit of Grace performs at the July 20, 2020 Black Lives Matter protest in Greenwood Village.

Marianne Goodland

Resolution 40-20 has to be overturned, added tenor sax player Armando Lopez. “Police need to held accountable.”

Rateliff told Colorado Politics he got involved because “it’s necessary to continue to push for the rights of people who are unjustly taken advantage of.” He has not spoken to Fiddler’s Green management, but pointed out that the concert venue is the largest source of tax revenue for the city. He said someone commented that the the letter was a capitalist move, “but we live in a capitalist society and this happens to be our only form of leverage.”

One of the evening’s most powerful moments was when Brothers of Brass, Spirit of Grace, Herod, Anderson and Rateliff led the marchers around the City Hall and through the streets south of City Hall, with hundreds singing “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize.” 

The evening was peaceful, everyone wore masks and did their best to socially distance, and a good time was had by all. The protest ended around 10 p.m. following a lively and all-too-brief jam session by Brothers of Brass. 

It’s the first and last concert of the year, Bridges quipped.

Letter by Nathaniel Rateliff of Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats to Greenwood Village. Letter by the Lumineers to Greenwood Village.