Another driver vs. protesters scene in Denver leaves one person injured

A rally for Breonna Taylor had just ended Wednesday night when a familiar scene unfolded.
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A woman who told reporters her name is Kate was hit by a driver following a protest for Breonna Taylor on Sept. 23, 2020.
Esteban Hernandez

A woman sustained minor injuries after a driver hit her at a protest in front of the State Capitol Wednesday night.

A rally for Breonna Taylor had just ended, but a small crowd lingered at the intersection of Lincoln and Colfax. A silver car driving north on Lincoln approached the crowd. Some protesters encircled the car, hitting it and telling the driver turn around, while others in the crowd demanded the protesters stand down. The driver then accelerated, hitting at least one person.

Denver police spokesperson Christine Downs on Thursday said the man was detained but released on Wednesday night. Downs said the man spoke to police after the incident and the investigation is ongoing. She declined to name the man, saying the police don't release names for people who aren't arrested.

It's at least the third time a driver has struck someone during a protest in Denver this year. On May 28, the first day of local protests over George Floyd's death, a driver hit a protester. Days later, another driver struck three officers and a bystander at a protest over racism and police brutality.

On Wednesday, Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler declined to charge a man who drove through a group of protesters on a highway in Aurora in July.

This story has been updated throughout. 

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