About 200 people gathered Friday outside the Colorado Convention Center both in protest and support of Donald Trump’s first appearance in the state, leading to a heated clash that included yelling, pushing and flying fists.

Two men were led away from the scene — centered on the intersection of 14th and California streets — in handcuffs after a violent confrontation between the feuding sides.

Officers in tactical and riot gear, some armed with batons and what appeared to be a pepper spray device, stormed in to disperse the crowd. There were no apparent injuries.

Outside of the scuffle, Trump supporters and a much larger contingent of opponents mostly kept to fierce yelling matches, which included name calling and profanity, and that were monitored by police.

Carlee Flanagan, a 19-year-old University of Colorado Boulder student, arrived with her mother and two 14-year-old sisters before 9 a.m. She held a DUMP TRUMP poster decorated with poop emojis.

“I think we all feel that Donald Trump is an embarrassment to our country,” Flanagan said. “He’s a racist. He’s a bigot.”

Flanagan’s mother, Shelley, said that while she talked with her daughters about potential violence at the demonstration, it was an easy choice to accompany and support them

“I really feel like it’s their future,” Shelley Flanagan said. “It’s really important they get involved.”

A few people, including a Colorado State University student wearing a red dress and pearls while carrying a sign that read, “CSU College Republican President Left’s worst nightmare,” were there in a show of Republican strength.

While Sarah Palin was speaking, protesters started chanting opposing messages. While some chanted, “I believe we will win” others shouted “Donald Trump is a racist pig.”

A woman who was burning sage was also detained by officers during the protest outside the convention center. She was issued a summons.

“I feel so much safer now we don’t have incense on the streets. Thanks, Denver Police,” Ted Marker, 25, quipped in outrage.

A group of Colorado Christian University students wanted the public to know that they don’t support Trump despite the institution’s sponsorship of the event he spoke at Friday, said rising sophomore Tyler Traylor. They were marching with signs opposing his candidacy and values.

The students carried signs that said, “Trump doesn’t speak for us,” “Lesser of 2 evils is still evil” and “CCU’s values trump Trump’s.”

“On the fundamental Christian level, Donald Trump’s platform doesn’t necessarily represent (our values),” he said.

Other brightly colored signs outside the convention center Friday took comedic stabs at Trump, reading: “No Trump, No Mango Toupee in White House” and “Trump has baby hands.”

One man, Daniel Mason, wore a red Teletubbies outfit and carried a sign that read “Telletubies against Trump.” He said he was trying to add some comic relief to the seriousness of the situation at hand.

“Anything that can get people’s attention to the issue,” Mason explained.

Robert Girom, who was wearing a Mexican flag bandanna around his head as he protested Trump, said his wife and three adopted daughters are from Mexico. He said the presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s views as a personal attack on his family.

“Donald Trump wants to circumvent my rights and throw my family out,” Girom said. “He will divide us as a country at a time when we need to be united more than ever.”

More than 4,000 people were expected to attend the Western Conservative Summit at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, a production of a Centennial Institute think tank housed at Colorado Christian University.

At Civic Center park, representatives from 16 local organizations with liberal ties built a 9-by-30 foot wall of cardboard boxes on Friday morning in protest against Trump. The boxes were filled with donated goods that will be given to charities.

A mural was painted on the wall by Latino artists and college students.

“The goal is a couple things,” said Ian Silverii, executive director of ProgressNow, one of the groups involved. “First of all, it’s to just to bring our community together, something positive. It turns out when Trump turns up in places, there is (tension).”

On Friday afternoon, Trump supporters began to gather for a rally at 1 p.m. on the west steps of the Colorado capitol.

Michael Alcala: 719-276-7640, alcalam@canoncitydailyrecord.com