SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

Uncle Ike’s owner says rioters are regularly targeting his shops

Sep 1, 2020, 6:22 AM | Updated: 6:36 am

pot shops, seattle pot shop, destruction...

(Courtesy photo)

(Courtesy photo)

Uncle Ike’s various locations around Seattle have regularly been the target of vandalism by rioters, which owner Ian Eisenberg believes is due to a narrative being pushed related to gentrification and his political views. Eisenberg joined the Dori Monson Show to discuss the ongoing incidents.

“It’s fairly regular on Capitol Hill these days. It’s something that’s happening almost every day, every night. Either it’s vandalism, theft, rioting — it’s getting pretty out of hand,” he said.

“That’s part of it — that I’m the main number one gentrifier, that somehow I built all the apartments in the Central District and am now gentrifying Capitol Hill … And it gets even worse. Like earlier this week, there was a protest in front of our store — it was something out of Alex Jones’ Inforwars — the speaker had a megaphone, and he was talking about my underground child sex trafficking operations. They’re just insane there, standing with a pulpit, making up random stories.”

Patriot Prayer leader says man shot in Portland was ‘a good guy’

Eisenberg also believes that Uncle Ike’s is being targeted for his politics, which he says is not radical left enough for the rioters and protesters.

“I publicly supported Democratic candidates for City Council; they’re very, very liberal candidates by any measure across the country. But they weren’t the progressive choice so I became the target. If you talk to business owners around town, the reason in Seattle you don’t see a lot of political candidate posters in the window — it’s exactly for this reason: The far hardcore left will come after you. And when I say come after you, I’m talking about your personal life, your business life, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, over and over and over again,” he said.

Eisenberg questions the notion much parroted by those supporting the protesters that they’re somehow “mostly peaceful.”

“The other thing that’s amazing is the far left has taken this this new saying that they’re mostly peaceful protests. What does that mean? I’m sure Ted Bundy was mostly peaceful. He wasn’t killing people 24/7. It’s just a bizarre concept that a protest is mostly peaceful so that’s OK, even though they smashed car windows on their way to the protest. That’s not peaceful any more, it’s violent,” he said.

Seattle Police Guild head says protesters outside his home won’t intimidate him

“From what I’ve seen in a protest around this area, the major big protests you see in the news are peaceful protests, they’re terrific. It’s a core group of 100 or 200 kids in all black outfits — I don’t know if they’re antifa or anarchists — but get the kids. They’re in their late teens, early twenties, running around, smashing stuff, high-fiving each other, having a good time. If there’s no repercussions, no consequences, no new shows on Netflix, this is what the kids are going to do, and the police at some point have to start doing their job.”

There’s one demand Eisenberg says protesters are making of him and Uncle Ike’s that he finds especially ridiculous.

“There’s another demand that the protesters have made of me personally: That I’m not allowed to cooperate with law enforcement anymore. So they’re asking me that if they come to my businesses breaking windows, throwing incendiary devices inside, torching the place, I’m not supposed to work with law enforcement? It’s insane.”

Listen to the Dori Monson Show weekday afternoons from noon – 3 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

pierce county death father...

Regan Gallo-Fenz, MyNorthwest Staff

Pierce County father arrested in connection with son’s fentanyl death nearly 20 months later

Kyler Lawrence is in custody in connection with the fentanyl death of his son. The incident dates back to March 2025 when it happened at the family's home.

9 minutes ago

The Supreme Court is seen in Washington, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)Credit: AP P...

Associated Press

Activist Mahmoud Khalil asks Supreme Court to let US judges quickly reverse immigration detentions

WASHINGTON (AP) — Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil asked the Supreme Court on Monday to let federal judges quickly determine the legality of immigration-related detentions so that individuals cannot be held for months or years without judicial oversight. In papers filed with the high court, Khalil asked it to overturn a ruling earlier this year by […]

31 minutes ago

The Supreme Court is seen at day's end in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, as the justices prepa...

Associated Press

Supreme Court to hear case on race in middle school admissions

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear a case about the role race plays in middle school admissions, three years after a majority on the high court struck down affirmative action in college admissions. The case involves admissions to four selective middle schools in Montgomery County, Maryland, a diverse suburb of Washington, […]

41 minutes ago

Kitsap County scam...

Julie Berg, KIRO 7

Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office warns of law enforcement impersonation scams

The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office has issued a public warning regarding phone scams involving callers who impersonate law enforcement officers.

58 minutes ago

John Urquhart bend school shooting...

Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin Show

‘Politicians are the ones that can do something’: Former King County sheriff urges stronger prevention efforts after Bend school shooting

Former King County sheriff demands change after the deadly Bend shooting, urging action beyond thoughts and prayers for safety reforms.

60 minutes ago

Photos of former Presidents Raúl Castro, right, and his late brother Fidel Castro cover a front do...

Associated Press

US and Cuba clash at UN as Washington seeks to sway annual vote on economic embargo

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States and Cuba clashed Monday at the United Nations as the Trump administration sought once again to build opposition for an upcoming annual vote condemning Washington’s decades-long economic embargo against Havana. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz hosted a “Cuba Libre” panel with dissidents and former prisoners in […]

1 hour ago

Uncle Ike’s owner says rioters are regularly targeting his shops