Protesters angry over police shooting of Kilyn Lewis interrupt Aurora City Council meeting

DAWN | Dozens of angry protesters briefly disrupted an Aurora City Council meeting Monday evening. The crowd used a public comment period to express outrage over the fatal shooting of Kilyn Lewis by an Aurora police officer in May. Lewis was holding a cell phone when he was shot by an Aurora police officer.

Defying security, the demonstrators refused to leave their banners and signs outside the room. They also ignored Mayor Mike Coffman's request to refrain from chanting and shouting, instead calling on the mayor to resign.

Many members of the group also took turns on the microphone to demand that Officer Michael Dieck be prosecuted for murder. Body-worn camera footage showed Lewis was unarmed when Dieck shot him. At the time, SWAT teams were attempting to arrest Lewis in connection with an attempted homicide.

“Every time a Black life is claimed, you sit here with a posture that says this is exactly the way society is going,” activist MiDian Holmes told the council when it was her turn to speak. “Our community has always been resilient, right? We say this all the time. The black community is resilient. What we don't talk about is that this is unwarranted resilience.

MiDian Holmes was among the protesters who briefly interrupted an Aurora City Council meeting on Monday, June 24, 2024, to protest Aurora Police Officer Michael Dieck, who fatally shot unarmed Kilyn Lewis in May.

During the public comment period, Aurora resident Robbie Dejonge responded to protesters and said “all lives matter.” The demonstrators shouted it first. Then they left their seats in the aisles, sat in front of council members and began chanting and shouting, forcing Mayor Coffman to call for a 20-minute recess.

When the Council returned, the crowd allowed Dejonge to finish his remarks. Then other participants denounced Dieck, the Aurora police, Coffman and the council.

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