Four people arrested at Black Lives Matter protest in Seattle
Nov 27, 2015, 7:38 AM | Updated: 9:12 pm
A Black Lives Matter group protests near the giant Christmas tree at Seattle's Westlake Center in 2015. (Sara Lerner/KIRO Radio)
(Sara Lerner/KIRO Radio)
The giant Christmas tree at Seattle’s Westlake Center was lit on Friday evening, along with the Macy’s star, but not without prior disruptions from Black Lives Matter protesters.
Seattle police arrested four people — one who attempted to break a window and another who was interfering with an arrest at Pacific Place. An officer suffered a dislocated shoulder during the second arrest. Two more people were arrested.
Around 2:30 p.m. a large group of demonstrators forced their way into Macy’s. They were kicked out shortly after. The crowd stormed into a Forever 21 about an hour later.
Protesters joined the tree lighting festivities around 5 p.m. after marching around surrounding streets all afternoon. They got on the bullhorns and chanted, “If we don’t get no justice then we will shut it down.”
The tree lighting was not shut down, but protesters released balloons as the lights came on. The crowd then engaged in a sit-in.
Police reported minor property damage.
Related: Why Dori Monson will not go to downtown Seattle
In 2014, five people were arrested during a protest that disrupted the annual Westlake Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration. Westlake Center was shut down early.
