Anti-Trump protests rip through US city of Denver

Thousands of angry protesters marched defiantly through Colorado's capital Friday chanting "Not My President," as 2,900 kilometers away, Donald Trump was being sworn into the Oval Office.

Trump's brief, 16-minute inauguration speech in Washington, D.C. triggered protests across the country, as the billionaire continued his angry rant against liberals, and especially outgoing President Barack Obama.

"Trump stole the election," said marcher James Dunmore, 68, a retired insurance salesman from Boston who relocated to Denver in 1988. "Trump is a disgrace to America."

Dunmore led a large group of Denver citizens chanting, "Refugees are welcome here."

At the same time in the U.S. Capitol, the new president was putting his left hand on a Bible used by Abraham Lincoln over 150 years ago, swearing to uphold American values.

"Trump didn't win the popular vote," Dunmore said.

Colorado was a swing state in the West that went to Hillary Clinton in elections, along with New Mexico and Nevada, due to Latino and "New Millennial" votes.

Denver police told Xinhua they diffused the only reported conflict during the march, when a small group of overweight, white-bearded, tattooed bikers confronted the determined, but largely peaceful demonstrators.

The major eight-lane superhighway running through downtown Denver was shut down for an hour on the election day in November, shortly after Trump beat Clinton in the hotly contested 2016 presidential election.

Meanwhile, not far away on Denver's famous Colfax Avenue, a group of 50, older conservative Trump supporters were gathered in Pete's Kitchen.

"When will they stop?" asked Joe Grimaldi, 65, who said he had been a Pete's Kitchen customer for eight years.

Grimaldi, like many patrons Friday, were frustrated at the Democrats' inability to accept the results of the election.

"(Trump) won, get over it," Grimaldi said.

Pete's Kitchen is one of 10 restaurants and bars that have been owned by local business legend Pete Contos.

Contos, 83, a conservative businessman, came to Denver from Greece in 1955 with no money, speaking no English, and started working as a dishwasher.

"Give Trump a chance," Steven Moore, 65, told Xinhua. "Trump is a lot more bark than bite, and the liberals have not figured that out yet," he said.

source: Xinhua