Mayor Durkan confirms federal officers have left Seattle
Jul 28, 2020, 2:16 PM | Updated: Jul 29, 2020, 7:04 am
(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said via Twitter on Tuesday that the Department of Homeland Security told her that federal law enforcement officers deployed to the city have demobilized and left.
WA U.S Attorney: Villainizing of federal law enforcement is shameful
“The President’s actions to target Democratic cities with federal forces is chilling and increased violence in Portland, Seattle & other cities – exactly what the President intended,” Durkan said in her tweet.
The mayor continued by saying that police in Seattle should be left up to Police Chief Carmen Best, not President Trump. The mayor asked that demonstrators remain peaceful over the weekend, so as not to “take the bait.” However, demonstrations on Saturday quickly turned violent on Capitol Hill. Seattle Police said 59 of their officers were injured. One group set fire to portable trailers and other equipment at the King County Youth Service Center.
“The crowd threw bottles and balloons filled with liquid and shot mortar fireworks and tossed explosives at officers,” according to the SPD Blotter.
SPD said 47 people were arrested on Saturday.
Gov. Inslee tweeted that Washingtonians no longer have to worry about the White House’s aim to provoke confrontation and undermine peaceful protests.
Federal officers have left WA, confirmed by @DHSgov.
That means Washingtonians no longer have to worry about the White House's aim to provoke confrontation and undermine peaceful protests. https://t.co/OG5r7XBS2M
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) July 28, 2020