7 arrested after Poor People’s Campaign protest blocks traffic in downtown Seattle

Officers with the Seattle Police Department arrested seven protesters, five women and two men, for refusing to leave the intersection at 6th and Pike in downtown Seattle during a protest for the ‘Poor People’s Campaign’ on Saturday.

Saturday’s protest in Seattle was in accordance with the Poor People’s Campaign National March in Washington, D.C.

According to a statement on the Poor People’s Campaign website, the protests on Saturday were because:

“In the face of systemic racism, systemic poverty, ecological devastation, the war economy/militarism, and the distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism — we must engage in mass nonviolent moral direct action. We must declare that we won’t be silent anymore about the war on the poor!”

Seattle police officers originally responded to reports of demonstrators blocking the intersection of 6th and Pike around 4:30 p.m. Saturday:

West Precinct officers are responding to a protest downtown at 6th and Pike. Demonstrators are currently blocking the intersection. Please expect heavy traffic in the area. We’ll have more updates when available. Thank you for your patience.

— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) June 23, 2018

Regarding the demonstration at 6th and Pike, six protestors continue to block the entire instersection. Police have issued a lawful order for them to disperse.

— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) June 24, 2018

Poor people’s campaign protest blocking intersection @ 6th & Pike Seattle @KIRO7Seattle pic.twitter.com/camJgR2iNL

— Ranji Sinha (@RanjiKIRO7) June 23, 2018

Verbal warnings given by @SeattlePD but some protester @ 6th & Pike Seattle not budging, arrests may be coming @KIRO7Seattle pic.twitter.com/CRJZBSvbpJ

— Ranji Sinha (@RanjiKIRO7) June 24, 2018

A short time later, SPD officers began arresting protesters:

Arrests @ protest 6th & Pike Seattle pic.twitter.com/5gDbKCj6uH

— Ranji Sinha (@RanjiKIRO7) June 24, 2018

By 6:30 p.m. police had arrested seven protesters in total and the street was reopened to traffic:

Police have arrested five women and two men for refusing to leave the intersection of 6th and Pike after being given a lawful order to do so. The intersection is now clear and traffic is returning to normal. Thank you for your continued patience.

— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) June 24, 2018

KIRO 7 will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.