Seattle police reopen 12th and Pine amid ongoing protests

The Seattle Police Department announced early Friday afternoon that it would be reopening the 12th and Pine area, and that “some officers will remain in the area of the East Precinct as SPD works to reestablish police services in the building.”

Seattle police continued to clash with protesters on Capitol Hill for much of Thursday, as well as overnight into Friday.

Protesters were seen gathering at Pine and Broadway beginning early Thursday afternoon. One incident filmed during the day shows roughly a dozen officers on bikes scuffling with demonstrators, and wrestling them to the ground before placing them under arrest in front of the “exclusion zone” border set up by SPD.

That had Seattle councilmembers speaking out against the arrests.

“I’m calling on (City Attorney Pete Holmes) to not charge yesterday’s resisting, obstructing, and pedestrian interference (one person ironically cited while standing in a crosswalk) arrests,” Councilmember Andrew Lewis said.

“RELEASE EVERYONE ARRESTED. This is absurd,” agreed Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda.

As @LewisforSeattle posted: We must not charge folks for resisting, obstructing, or pedestrian interference (including one person ironically cited while standing in a crosswalk). Nobody should be prosecuted for being in violation of an order they had no notice of.

— Teresa Mosqueda (@TeresaCMosqueda) July 3, 2020

The situation escalated overnight when SPD made 10 additional arrests overnight under various charges, including property destruction at the West Precinct, and assault, harassment, and failure to disperse at Pine and Broadway. Police claim protesters threw bottles, rocks, and fireworks.

SPD has arrested over 70 people in total since dismantling the CHOP and retaking the East Precinct.

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