Ghere said participants in the Freedom Ride should deal with opposition by taking photos and videos and reporting incidents to law enforcement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to obey traffic laws,\u201d Ghere said. \u201cWe must oppose violence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amanda Winter, a participant in the Freedom Ride and a nurse at Southwest Memorial Hospital, said some residents misunderstand their weekly event.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re here to support our country, we\u2019re not here looking for trouble,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Her daughter, Alicia Winter, sang the national anthem at the gathering before the Freedom Ride.<\/p>\n
The Freedom Ride is about supporting liberties granted by the U.S. Constitution, said Melanie McAfee, another participant.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll lives matter \u2013 I\u2019m tired of the separation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Andrew Ghere, Tiffany Ghere\u2019s husband, said the Freedom Ride takes a stand for veterans, firefighters and law enforcement.<\/p>\n
He and several other riders have concerns about the push to defund the police in other areas of the U.S., though members of the Walk for Justice said at a Cortez City Council meeting in September that they did not support defunding police.<\/p>\n \u201cWe all come together as one for love of our country, unity and freedom,\u201d Ghere said.<\/p>\n Before their demonstration Saturday afternoon, about 20 members of the Walk for Justice and Peace met for a training session with people from Durango who are studying to be mediators.<\/p>\n Last week, several people in a group that included members of the Montezuma County Patriots confronted the Walk for Justice, crossing Main Street and yelling at walkers face to face.<\/p>\n The Walk for Justice assigned \u201cfrontliners\u201d to interact with anyone who could become confrontational.<\/p>\n Frontliners would tell anyone confrontational that they are welcome to join the Walk for Justice, but they couldn\u2019t yell. A frontliner also walked with co-organizer Dawn Robertson to ensure her safety after counter-demonstrators followed her last week.<\/p>\n All other participants agreed to stand silently with their signs.<\/p>\n \u201cOur signs speak our message,\u201d said Raleigh Marmorstein, a co-organizer of the demonstration. \u201cThe goal is to not have to call the police.\u201d<\/p>\n The Walk for Justice began with deep breathing before participants headed down Main Street.<\/p>\n More than 80 walkers spanned the sidewalk as honks of encouragement sounded from the street. Two trucks appeared to blow black exhaust fumes at the walkers, but there was no confrontation.<\/p>\n The owner of Love on a Hanger became frustrated when the Walk for Justice stopped in front of her business, and called the Cortez Police Department. Organizers moved participants farther down the street to accommodate the shop owner.<\/p>\n Clay Baier, a member of the Montezuma County Patriots, parked his truck along Main Street as the marchers headed back to St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. His truck bore a half-dozen flags, including an American and Confederate flag.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel they need to leave,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel division.\u201d<\/p>\n If the walkers changed their signs to state that all lives matter, the Patriots would march with them, Baier said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you don\u2019t like the American flag, leave for the country of your choosing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n But several participants in the Walk for Justice, including Robertson, carried American flags.<\/p>\n When the demonstration first started several months ago, Caro Gomez said only 15 people showed up.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s great to see things grow,\u201d she said. \u201cIt felt better this week.\u201d<\/p>\n