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More than 80 protestors from the Seattle Solidarity Network picketed outside of Borracchini's Bakery in the Rainier Valley as part of a planned protest against the owner, Remo Borracchini. (97.3 KIRO FM/Brandi Kruse)

Bakery protest turns violent after clash over cookies

BY Brandi Kruse  on April 7, 2012 @ 1:37 pm (Updated: 2:42 pm - 4/9/12 )

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A labor protest at a historic Seattle bakery turned violent Saturday and police were called when demonstrators clashed with patrons outside.

More than 80 protestors from the Seattle Solidarity Network, also known as SeaSol, picketed outside of Borracchini's Bakery in the Rainier Valley as part of a planned protest against the owner, Remo Borracchini.

Hundreds of customers arrived in advance of the protest and launched a counter demonstration. Supporters wore red, white and green ribbons in honor of the bakery's Italian roots.

Fights broke out among patrons and protestors after a customer offered cookies to one of the demonstrators, a bakery employee said. According to witnesses, a female member of SeaSol hit the plate of cookies out of his hands then slapped him during an argument, and the man pushed her to the ground.

A spokesperson for SeaSol said the woman was punched in the face, but KIRO-FM was not able to corroborate that statement. She received medical attention at the scene, but no arrests were made.

Seattle Solidarity launched a campaign against the bakery after a former employee claimed she was not allowed to take breaks during her nine years with the business. They have threatened to increase their involvement if the bakery does not pay her $7,901. The group has provided three letters they say are from former employees who describe a similar work environment.

Remo Borracchini and current employees have denied the group's accusations. A store manager showed KIRO-FM surveillance video of the employee taking breaks.

WARNING: This video contains derogatory language.

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (304)


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  • ironredbear wrote...
    Yaaay Supporters!
    April 7, 2012 2:14 pm
    SeaSol got punched in the mouth lol. Best news all day! Guess they do not like cookies ;)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sohojo wrote...
    Welcome!
    April 7, 2012 2:21 pm
    To Obama's America. Must not be a union shop.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    SeaSlugs
    April 7, 2012 2:24 pm
    What kind of jerks ARE these SeaSol idiots ? .. The day before Easter, you are offered cookies to make peace and you fight ??? What do you do for Christmas ? Kneecap Santa ?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Whidbeyboy wrote...
    Don't think so
    April 9, 2012 11:16 am
    The cookies were not to make peace, but a slight. You have to be an idiot you to think they were doing it for peace. I haven;t taken side on this since I don;t know the whole story. But I hope it works out fairly for all involved.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • LOUMAN wrote...
    @ Whidbeyboy ...
    April 9, 2012 12:04 pm
    ..your ignorance is bliss. "The cookies were not to make peace, but a slight..." Interesting, that someone as righteous as yourself, 'KNOWS' what a complete strangers 'intention' is. As if this were not idiotic enough..you go on to say, "You have to be an idiot to think they were doing it for peace. I haven't taken side on this since I don't know the whole story." I'm not quite sure, that you 'know' much of anything..about anything. Feeble entertainment, at best. Then again..so aren't the majority of your contributions to MYNorthwest.com..in my very own Personal Opinion that is. =)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 32coupe wrote...
    A plate of cookies...
    April 7, 2012 2:37 pm
    Is met with violence? No matter how often the left tries to dress themselves and their goals in sheeps clothing, the wolf always finds it's way out. I'm sure glad that a lot of good folks came out to counter these miscreants. We must continue to fight back against the facist left...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • connie1492 wrote...
    A plate of cookies...
    April 7, 2012 9:20 pm
    Lefty here. Why does the right-wing have to assume that everyone on the left is a member of a radical fringe group. I was there, buying my pie's and supporting Barracchinis. I was there in the parking lot keeping them out of the store. Most of us left wing liberals are all about supporting small family owned businesses over the giant corporations, particularly when they are falsly accused.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Hank Reardon wrote...
    @connie
    April 7, 2012 9:41 pm
    seasuck is giving you a bad name. Maybe you should get more of your liberal friends down there to explain to them that vigilantism is wrong.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • tlmbrt wrote...
    @Connie
    April 7, 2012 10:33 pm
    I appreciate your comments. Liberal or conservative, we need to stand up to these loony thugs!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleJack wrote...
    Hmm.
    April 7, 2012 2:40 pm
    Looks like the whole extortion/intimidation thing isn't working out so well for SeaSol.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • clevesside wrote...
    once thugs...
    April 7, 2012 2:40 pm
    ...always thugs, organized or otherwise. Why are they in for extortion, blackmail and larceny?? And...you can add, inciting a riot?! Where's the sugar-starved gang of lawyers??
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • steel wrote...
    SeaSol you don't get it.
    April 7, 2012 2:42 pm
    The producers offered cookies. You respond with violence and you lost the fight. Street fighting 101: Don't get in a fight unless you have a reasonable chance of winning. Now go back to your Mother's basement and plot how you will take over the world.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Bindi Blue wrote...
    Steel
    April 7, 2012 5:48 pm
    Love the mother's basement line. Buncha losers.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Welcome to Obama's America.
    April 7, 2012 2:59 pm
    Indeed. The communist left feels energized w/ one of their own in The Oval Office. How ironic. My late father, a WWII vet, would roll over in his grave to see what has become of America.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wsualumn wrote...
    HPD
    April 7, 2012 9:09 pm
    My living father that is a WWII vet would laugh at your logic of blaming our president for this situation. Its BOZOS like you that will try and work Obama into any problem that is happening.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • connie1492 wrote...
    oh get over the blame Obama for everything
    April 7, 2012 9:23 pm
    I did and will vote for Obama. I also came out in support of Borracchinis today. and why dont you leave your poor father out of this asinine argument.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Brad1138 wrote...
    Obama...
    April 8, 2012 12:13 pm
    This has nothing to do with Obama, it has to do with a group of idiots, being bigger idiots by siding with someone that is obviously wrong/lying. Being left/liberal/democratic does NOT mean you agree with theses idiots.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Drool wrote...
    HPD, Please Enlighten Me....
    April 8, 2012 5:14 pm
    ...to all these commie policies Obama has enacted that is causing your father's unrest.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Whidbeyboy wrote...
    HPD 5-0
    April 9, 2012 11:21 am
    You should take a class in history before flapping your lips. They said the sdame thing about Lincoln, and many others. Yes, the sky is falling retoric is typical of your ilk. And using your late father to further your agenda is disrespectful. I love this country, and served 15 years. Obama is not the issue here, though the far right wackos make it so.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SnoqualmiePhil wrote...
    Bitter...Table for one!!
    April 9, 2012 11:54 am
    So if you are on the "left" you are a communist? I bet that statement alone would make your father role over. The war he faught was to protect the very freedoms you are now calling communism. I am certain most fathers would roll over in thier graves looking at how we have become so soft and politically correct. God Forbit we hurt someones feelings. This lasdy worked for the bakery for 9 years as I heard it? HEY, here's an idea...if you dont like your job, get a new one. Fools! Any reason to get your name on the web or your face on TV. Best of luck in life. Your attitude and outlook are pathetic
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SnoqualmiePhil wrote...
    How did the previous 8 years work out for you....
    April 9, 2012 12:00 pm
    I love to see how many people Obama for all the crap going on in the US. Stop your complaining and run for office. The Republicans can't even stop fighting over who is the "best Choice" for a candidate yet think all these issues are due to the Democrats. When in the he11 will the US people wake up. You really think that the US is run buy anyone other than the lobbyists? If you want a filrly run government that is "truely" for the people then take the millions of dollars in lobbiest money out of the equation. Rightousness is easy from the sidelines my friend. Get in the game or get out of the way!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SnoqualmiePhil wrote...
    HPD....so sad...oh so sad
    April 9, 2012 12:02 pm
    How did the previous 8 years before Obama work out for you....I love to see how many people blame Obama for all the crap going on in the US. Stop your complaining and run for office. The Republicans can't even stop fighting over who is the "best Choice" for a candidate yet think all these issues are due to the Democrats. When in the he11 will the US people wake up. You really think that the US is run buy anyone other than the lobbyists? If you want a filrly run government that is "truely" for the people then take the millions of dollars in lobbiest money out of the equation. Rightousness is easy from the sidelines my friend. Get in the game or get out of the way!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • aulus wrote...
    I'm taking up a collection...
    April 7, 2012 3:01 pm
    Since SeaSol describes itself as communist and anti-capitalist, I'm accepting donations to provide all members with one-way tickets to the ultimate "worker's paradise" of North Korea! There they will find out how true communists deal with protesters, and while they live out the rest of their short lives in one of the country's many labor camps, we can finally have some peace and quiet to enjoy our bakery treats! Everybody wins!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FrankDaph wrote...
    SeaSol
    April 7, 2012 3:32 pm
    doesn't describe itself as communist. I just looked at their website. Get your facts straight.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • spicedchef wrote...
    SeaSorry
    April 7, 2012 10:02 pm
    They don't need to, their low life actions speak for themselves.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • TwistedFang wrote...
    Yes it does!
    April 7, 2012 10:30 pm
    The mission of the Seattle chapter of Industrial Workers of the World? (The main group that funds SeaSol) From their website: It is the historic mission of the working class to do away with capitalism. So if you do away with Capitalism and everyone gets the same things that describes communism!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ms L wrote...
    Uh, no, it doesn't.
    April 8, 2012 2:48 pm
    Dear Twisted fang, Redistribution of wealth to those who actually DO the work (ie the WORKING class) is not a communist idea per se. The world holds more types of thought than communist or capitalist. So, you're quite wrong. Just because someone disagrees with capitalism doesn't mean they are a communist. If you believe that, you're pretty ignorant. How old are you? If you'd bothered to look into it, you'd find that the IWW is not affiliated with any political group, but yes, it seeks to destroy capitalism... Which, in my opinion, is a dirty death machine that has been destroying working people's lives since it's conception. Good work seasol! Keep it up!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick (4) wrote...
    LOL @ Ms L
    April 8, 2012 8:55 pm
    ...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Brad A wrote...
    FrankDaph
    April 8, 2012 6:25 am
    Look Deeper. SeaSol has received funding from radical communist fringe groups.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wickeddeath wrote...
    Forget N Korea
    April 7, 2012 3:13 pm
    The Syrian Gov. is killing protesters like it's going out of style. If Seasol wants to act like revolutionaries, they should be airdropped Ranger style into Damascus. Come to think of it, the 99%ers should head that way as well.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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