Large crowd gathers outside of SPD’s East Precinct
Jun 8, 2020, 5:31 AM | Updated: Jun 9, 2020, 5:26 am
Dozens of people stayed late into the night Monday at 12th and Pine, the corner where a boarded up East Precinct sits. Seattle police reopened the streets around the precinct Monday afternoon to allow protesters to march. A large crowd quickly assembled to chant and speak.
With the East Precinct abandoned by police — and despite scanner chatter warning of possible violence for most of the night — protesters remained peaceful, with speakers
Police Chief Carmen Best said earlier in the day that her officers would take a different approach on that block with a reduced footprint.
Follow live updates from Monday:
10:54pm – The scene at 12th and Pine got a little tense, but leaders quickly calmed the tension. The crowd has remained peaceful for hours.
10:33pm – Kshama Sawant asked the crowd to meet her and other political leaders on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Cal Anderson Park.
10:27pm – Councilmember Kshama Sawant has the mic. “I’m the Socialist on the Seattle City Council,” she said, to the crowd that erupted in cheers.
“The had full gear … and yet hear we are,” Sawant said.
10:26pm – One speaker is asking the entire crowd to vote in November. “If you do not opt in, you’re telling them you don’t care.”
10:01pm – More speakers are taking the mic to tell their stories on the corner of 12th and Pine. The crowd is clapping and cheering. Protesters promise to stay outside the East Precinct every day.
9:30 – Speakers at the protest outside of the East Precinct are asking people not to vandalize the building. They do not want to be blamed for destruction.
9:03pm – Protesters remain at 12th and Pine. They’re chanting and passing the microphone around to share stories. People are walking down the street that is closed off to traffic. There are no police officers outside the precinct.
8:51pm – The Seattle Fire Department is asking protesters to call for medical assistance if they need it. The SFD also warned businesses on Capitol Hill to be on the look out for fires tonight.
If you are participating in a demonstration tonight, remember to keep clear for first responders who may be responding to a medical call or fire. If you are in need of medical assistance, move to the perimeter of the crowd if you can and call 911. Please keep protests peaceful.
— Seattle Fire Dept. (@SeattleFire) June 9, 2020
8:44pm – Protesters are taking turns with microphones addressing a large crowd outside of the East Precinct building, now boarded up. It’s unclear if there are any officers inside.
8:31pm – Rep. Jayapal and Seattle City Council President Lorena González sent a letter today to Mayor Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best to “urge them to enact meaningful and transformative changes to the very nature of policing throughout the city.”
As 10 of Seattle's elected officials of color, we urge Mayor Durkan & Chief Best to end the violent response to protests, transform policing to uphold the safety of all communities, and institute accountability & transparency measures.
Our full letter:https://t.co/UrlJuVdc0H
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) June 9, 2020
8:23pm – A crowd is gathering outside of the East Precinct building at 12th and Pine.
7:59pm – Police and National Guard members were spotted close to 7 p.m. gathering outside of large buses in Volunteer Park, roughly a mile north of the East Precinct.
7:50pm – Protesters continue to report a calmer mood near the East Precinct Monday night. While things remain quiet, the crowd remains on alert for any potential agitators.
7:25pm – Protesters with bikes have been seen standing at intersections, in hopes of preventing cars from driving through areas where crowds are gathered.
7:18pm – Police now appear to have almost completely left the East Precinct area. Protesters have moved barricades out of the way and now are free to move throughout the whole intersection of 11th and Pine.
Cars belonging to protesters appear to be standing guard and blocking off surrounding streets.
7:09pm – Protesters seem worried about a possible attack and rumored threat from outside groups, but the main crowd has remained peaceful. Bikes, cars, concrete and plastic barricades are positioned at many intersections in the area.
6:54pm – The crowd is now creating their own barricades to block some of the side streets from cars or any potential threats against the peaceful protesters. A few cars have also been parked to act as a barricade.
6:47pm – Most if not all the police officers seem to have left the area and protesters have now filled into the surrounding streets. Speakers are reminding protesters to be alert.
6:32pm – East Pine Street and 12th Avenue is now reopened for the first time in more than week. Protesters are heading east past the precinct chanting “Whose streets? Our Streets.” Fencing and wood boards cover the outside of the East Precinct.
6:24pm – Speakers at the front of the barricade are sharing their stories over a bullhorn. A line of officers remains right on the other side of a barricade from the protesters, but there seems to be a smaller footprint of officers present tonight.
6:00pm – The SPD is expected to allow protesters to fill in the street shortly. Members of the National Guard were spotted leaving the precinct.
5:37pm – The front line of the crowd is moving the barricade toward the police line. Officers have asked them to stop encroaching.
5:26pm – Officers are now at 11th and Pine facing off with protesters, who are chanting.
5:24pm – Protesters have climbed over the fence at 11th and Pine and are headed toward the East Precinct building.
5:15pm – Protesters are at 11th and Pine where there remains a metal fence and concrete barriers. Protesters are chanting and appear to be climbing on the fence. The police line is not present at all. The entire block outside the East Precinct is open to traffic.
— Original story from Sunday evening—
After a tense weekend of protests on Capitol Hill, police again clashed with protesters overnight between Sunday and Monday.
See moment-by-moment accounts of Sunday’s protests here
Just before midnight, police reported that someone had thrown a glass bottle at a Washington National Guard member. Minutes later, the incident commander on site issued dispersal orders, demanding the crowd leave immediately.
After that dispersal order, video footage from the scene shows police throwing a series of flash bangs, blast balls, and more. Protesters can be seen throwing objects back at police. Police announced at 12:18 a.m. that after “taking heavy projectiles” from the crowd, the use of tear gas had been authorized.
Councilmember Kshama Sawant reported being gassed and maced herself “with hundreds [of] others,” claiming it was “with no provocation” from protesters.
Just got maced and gassed with hundreds others by Seattle police on 11th & Pine. With no provocation. All the movement was demanding was: Let us march!
Shameful violence under Mayor Durkan. And the 30-day tear gas pause is totally meaningless.
Durkan Must Go. #DefundPolice pic.twitter.com/GNtvtjuMAU
— Kshama Sawant (@cmkshama) June 8, 2020
This came hours after a man reportedly drove a black sedan through along 11th and Pine in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, brandishing what looked like a gun with possibly an extended magazine. One protester was shot in the shoulder, and was transported in stable condition to Harborview Medical Center. The shooter was taken into police custody after turning himself in.
Protesters have returned to the intersection of 11th and Pine early Monday morning. As of around 5:30 a.m., roughly a dozen people appeared to remain.
