(Image: @paulstorms)
UPDATE 5/30/20 5:00 PM: :Flames, tear gas, and gunfire as crowds and police clash in second day of George Floyd protests in Seattle: Protests, vandalism, and police and rioter clashes flared again Saturday across downtown Seattle in a battle over police brutality after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis — Updates here
UPDATE 5/30/20 2:50 AM: A night of rioting and clashes with police carried into the early hours of Saturday after a larger crowd splintered into smaller groups and protesters were reported smashing glass and damaging buildings across the International District and onto Capitol Hill. Police in riot gear and deploying crowd control devices and tactics formed a strong, sometimes aggressively defended perimeter for blocks around the East Precinct at 12th and Pine and there were multiple clashes between officers and crowds.
Just after midnight, the Amazon grocery on E Pike was reported smashed into and there were reports of people trying to throw lit flares inside. Meanwhile on 12th Ave, a frequent target over the years of anti-police brutality and anti-capitalism marches was again heavily targeted by protesters as rioters smashed glass and vandalized the Ferrari dealership at 12th and Union. The sidewalk outside the dealership was the scene of one brutal SPD arrest caught on video. Seattle Police say seven people have been arrested for charges ranging from property damage, resisting arrest, and assault on an officer.
Brand new Amazon Go Grocery store attacked. Not much if anything appears to have been stolen.
No @SeattlePD presence. cc @jseattle pic.twitter.com/pSYAiQSD6d
— Paul Britton (@paulstorms) May 30, 2020
Another video of Seattle PD body slamming a protesting then giving them a ground and pound. This is major abuse. Do not let mainstream media lie to you. The cops aren’t being peaceful and inciting violence. This is America. #seattleprotest #JusticeForGeorge #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/Awj5RL7ocj
— DÆ (@daeshikjr) May 30, 2020
Too bad they removed the ferraris before. #seattleprotest pic.twitter.com/7YlVi6XEz9
— Stephanie Nam (@stephanie_nam) May 30, 2020
broadway right now #seattleprotest pic.twitter.com/QTg0lSA8aT
— oxy . 🪐 (@YUNGSATURN_) May 30, 2020
#seattleprotest Bank of America, Washingron Federal and Fed Ex buildings had windows smashed, trash cans, barricades and debris throughout S Jackson #internationaldistrict protestors could be heard, "NO SMALL BUSINESSES" pic.twitter.com/WAVYyUA6K7
— Rick Bondurant (@ricbondo) May 30, 2020
UPDATE 5/29/20 9:40 PM: A protest described as peaceful but loud that crossed through downtown Seattle climbed up Capitol Hill Friday night with a group gathering near the East Precinct as a large contingent of SPD officers trailed the crowd. Seattle Police were barricading the area near the East Precinct at 12th and Pine. The Seattle Times reported broken windows during the downtown demonstration. There was at least one arrest made as the crowd headed toward the Hill. The protesters were last reported marching south — away from the precinct — on 12th from the Madison intersection. Meanwhile, another protest group of around 100 or so people was reportedly forming near the International District.
— conjurechaos (@conjureblue) May 30, 2020
Protestors laying down shouting “Goerge #Floyd” #seattleprotest #seattle pic.twitter.com/GDgw8rpfEa
— Elizabeth Turnbull (@LizTurnbull5) May 30, 2020
ORIGINAL REPORT: 
Seattle organizers are planning a protest against police brutality as clashes with cops and rioting in Minneapolis have continued in the fiery unrest following the killing of George Floyd.
Organized by Not This Time, “The Defiant Walk of Resistance Against Injustice” event is planned to start Saturday at 3 PM in Westlake Center:
R.I.P Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. There comes a time when the oppressed, broken and traumatized have lost so much and have been beaten down so much that your under the bottom. From the bottom where there is no more fear, no more worrying about your life and no more accepting the same o’l promises. When your left with no more options it’s fight to live or die! Join if your angry, full of tears, feeling hopeless we must be together at this time. Please Wear Your Mask and Gloves….
“This is something we haven’t seen before,” organizer Andre Taylor told the Seattle Times about the rally and march. “(The police officer) did it in front of a camera that he knew would be circulated around the world … Now that has triggered something different in Black people and communities of color. We’re going to see results.”
CHS reported on Taylor’s efforts to help pass Initiative 940 to change Washington state policy and reduce fatal police shootings after a sad string of killings 2016 and 2017 including Renee Davis October 21, 2016, Jacqueline Salyers on January 28th, Daniel Covarrubias in April, Tommy Le June 13th, Charleena Lyles June 18th, Giovonn Joseph-McDade June 24th.
In Minnesota, nights of clashes with police, fires, and looting have charred Minneapolis following Floyd’s death Monday as police forcefully took him into custody over a suspected forged check. UPDATE: Fired Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best, the first black woman to lead the city’s department, issued a statement this week calling the video of Floyd’s death “upsetting, disappointing, and infuriating.”
“It does not show the policing we know. Policing is an honorable profession filled with honorable public servants. We are committed to protecting life and serving the community,” Best wrote.
Mayor Jenny Durkan, a former U.S. prosecutor, said police involved in Floyd’s death “should be investigated and prosecuted.”
“This is not just a Minneapolis problem,” Durkan acknowledged. “We must demand better than this everywhere in our country. It begins by acknowledging the reality of institutional racism and its insidious impacts, and then by working to eradicate it through broad cultural and institutional change.”
Earlier this month, Durkan’s City Attorney and the Justice Department began legal proceedings to end a consent decree placing oversight over Seattle Police. The federal consent decree that came out of an eight-month DOJ investigation of Seattle policing released in winter 2011 that revealed troubling findings about the department’s use of force. SPD’s overhaul included a DOJ-approved use of force policy.
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I will preface this by stating that I am on the outside looking in. (I live in Zambia.) For me, the death – well, murder – has illustrated one thing that, as far as I know, has never happened in such cases: and that is, for once, most Americans of ALL shades are united in the condemnation of Derek Chauvin in particular and the other three protagonists on general! Not to demean what happened but contrast the pictures of [peaceful] protests for Ahmaud Arbery and the initial peaceful protests for Mr. Floyd – Black, White, Brown, Asian, etc, all stood together in solidarity. Even other police chiefs across the country have voiced their opinions AGAINST one of their own, so to speak. The late George Floyd’s death was not in vain because the legacy of the changes which will sweep across America, vis-a-vis policing, will be a visceral reminder of this pivotal moment in the history of the USA.
I was wondering how long it would take for the Amazon store to get trashed. The Sawant crew has prpbably been salivating waiting for the right excuse for months.
This opportunism is inherent in just about any protest situation. The vast majority of protesters participate to call out for justice. Some other folks use the chaos as a chance to fulfill their twisted fantasies, or just loot.
Also, here’s a wild idea: if Amazon was a better corporate citizen the mob might choose another target.
I’m sure people who supported kristallnacht made the same claims. I have no great love of Amazon but acting like they need to give these thugs a hand out to stop violence from them is part of the problem. let’s be really honest there is extortion going on in Seattle that’s massive and the wrongs done to blacks, women, Muslims, Jews, and every other demographic doesn’t give the activist community a right to extort. Most of Seattle is being ignored because of the stranglehold of the activist community. we all know that.
Not likely Reuben. Starbucks has always been a pretty good corporate citizen. How many times have they had windows smashed by mobs in Seattle?
Here’s a wild idea – that’s BS and you know it – Do you know what else was attacked and had windows broken? A Fire Station…. what part of being a bad corporate citizen are firemen. These are people who do nothing but HELP people and yet at least part of the mob felt it fine to attack them.
Some people just want to destroy and use protests – any protests – as cover.
I think Reuben is probably a troll, but similar ideas are used by many people to justify their crimes. “If Amazon were a better corporate citizen, then maybe their store wouldn’t have gotten trashed” is in the same direction as, “If she wouldn’t smile at all the boys and wear those skimpy clothes, maybe she wouldn’t have gotten raped.”
From a comfortable distance I’m sure that left all looks the same to you, but I assure you that the “Sawant crew” is not out smashing windows. They’re phonebanking to get people to sign a ballot petition and dropping petitions off at people’s doors while wearing masks and gloves. Many, I’m sure, will be protesting today, but only a few random anarchists will actually be destroying property.
I, along with most people, left or otherwise, don’t endure or encourage destroying property. That being said, we should not let a few anarchists be a convenient excuse to dismiss the very real outpouring of anger and grief from thousands of protesters expressing a need for change and equality. The Ferrari dealership doesn’t matter except for the handful of people wealthy enough to own a $300k car, and the real looters will remain the billionaires profiting from the pandemic.
I agree that the looters should not distract from the underlying issues which provoked the initial demonstrations, but I do think we should be sympathetic to the property owners and businesses whose livelihoods were damaged by the reckless destruction last night. And that includes the people who own the Ferrari dealership.
No doubt she’s orchestrating this in Seattle. Payback for her losing the election (and having to corruptly win days later)
Including a tweet by Dae should come with the disclaimer that he often act unethically and dishonestly in claims. We had the anti-jewish harassment occurring a couple years ago. anti-semitic comments were recorded on several occasions including “go back to Nazi Germany and let them Nazis get at you again”. He didn’t condemn the perp but condemned the victim declaring the victim was the perpetrator and claimed he had been racist despite the fact there is zero evidence it’s true but there’s a hundred percent evidence that he was being targeted for being Jewish and that the protesters were motivated by extortion and anti-Semitism. If you’re going to do sit there and defend that shameful behavior you don’t deserve to be taken seriously or reposted. Acting on behalf of “the black community” has been weaponized for getting a free pass at anti-Semitism for too long from the activist community. the fact that this incident certainly appears to be an actual case of horrific police brutality doesn’t change that the activist community in Seattle has used a lot of false claims to get away with pushing people around, ill-gotten clout and extortion
Good for them.
Comparing the protesters to nazis and Amazon to their victims is a real stretch. The frustration is real. Amazon might not be solely responsible, but from what I can see they have real power in this society and should do more to help.
What on earth does Amazon have to do with police brutality?
You just have a bunch of idiots looking for cover to lash out at their perceived enemies. It’s May Day 2.0.
‘do more to help’? You do realize the socialists won’t be pleased until Amazon is gone, right?
I don’t believe by broken privet business but what happened is very sad who is next😭
And I’ll bet not one of these lemmings know who Justine Diamond was
There’s a bigger issue at stake here: the Progressive cause.
When Liberal cities let vagrants take over and take little or no action against looters, American voters notice. Your average suburban voter (and human) is fearful of social disorder and anarchy. If Democrats in cities can’t bring order, people will vote Republican.
I say this as a Progressive. I speak with family and friends around the country. And they equate Democrats with chaos.
Sorry. Republicans create the chaos and everything follows from there. I say that as a progressive liberal independent.
You sure talk like a progressive.
What do your family and friends think about that coronavirus chaos handled by Trump? Over 100,000 people actually died, not just some property damages.
The people out there who are creating the current chaos are neither liberal nor conservative…. they are anarchists and criminals taking advantage the opportunity to be largely anonymous in a crowd. It’s a shame, because peaceful gatherings could have made a statement, but the burning and looting will be all that is remembered.
This behavior will be excused by the furthest on the left and be used as an excuse for calls for harsher treatment on the furthest right and society as a whole will lose as divides deepen and people on both sides mistrust each other even more.
I’m sorry – I don’t have a solution for this other than perhaps people on both sides need to stop and think hard and long. You are letting a tiny portion of people goad you into railing against those you should have more in common with. There aren’t (at least I truly hope) that many people who don’t want their neighborhoods and families to be safe and prosper.
WAHHHH Stores were hurt!
I’m sorry. When you care more about profits, possessions, building, and inanimate objects MORE than you care about the life of another human being?
Then destruction of property seems to be only thing you pearl-clutchers will pay attention.
Your perspective is deeply f*cked.