Columbus Day, once considered a major event, has been undergoing a decline in recent years. Columbus Day parades have met with protests and some have been de-emphasized or outright eliminated. In Denver, the Columbus Day Parade was met by protesters holding signs, such as, "Kick cracker bums off Indian land".
John Hickenlooper, the Democratic candidate for Governor in Colorado, helped fund violent anti-Columbus Day protests, which featured multiple arrests. In Santa Barbara, a rally will featured a hanged Columbus effigy.