Well that was a weird day

Thousands took to the streets downtown Friday night, marching against the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Groups like the Denver Communists, the Denver Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), the League of Women Voters and others began gatherings around 5:30 p.m. at the state Capitol.

Eliza Lucero with the Party shouted into the crowd that shut down Lincoln Street outside the Capitol, calling on people to fight against the Supreme Court's decision.

"We have to build, we have to organize and we have to be united in these streets," Lucero said.

People shouted "My body, my choice" and carried signs that read things like "Abort the Supreme Court."

The crowd traveled through 16th Street Mall chanting, made a stop near 20th and Stout streets for speeches, then moved back to the Capitol.

At least 25,000 people were expected downtown Friday as the Colorado Avalanche took on the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Stanley Cup. The series will continue Sunday, in Tampa, after the Avs lost 3-2.

The last time crowds gathered at the Capitol for protests, police unleashed tear gas, pepper balls and rubber bullets. In the two years since the protests following George Floyd's murder, the City of Denver has paid out millions of dollars in settlements over lawsuits filed against the police department alleging excessive force. Police chief Paul Pazen said the department learned lessons after the 2020 protests.

"I'm very confident in our team, our local state and federal partners," he said Thursday, according to Westword. "We worked very hard to make sure that we do things in the safest manner possible. Additional training has taken place as well."

Here's what happened the last time the Avs won the Stanley Cup.