Seattle Police Department preps for May Day during a pandemic

Typically, there are protests across Seattle on May 1 each year and in the downtown core, but the Seattle Police Department expects May Day might look different this year due to the global pandemic and stay-at-home order.

May Day 2019 march and rally in downtown Seattle

“Certainly nothing in Seattle is the same given the pandemic; May Day should be no exception,” said Captain Todd Kibbee, SPD’s May Day incident commander. “We are prepared to deal with anything that pops up, however.”

SPD hopes people adhere to the order by staying home and staying safe, but Kibbee does recognize that everyone has the right to free speech.

“Everyone has their right to come down, if they so choose, to exercise free speech,” he said. “Whatever side of issues you are on, we try not to get too much into that, and focus mostly on conduct and not content.”

In normal years, there is an immigration march on May Day that starts in the Capitol Hill area. This march is usually permitted and fairly peaceful.

“This year, our staffing numbers are slightly less just because we don’t have to, basically, staff for that immigration march, but the numbers aren’t significantly less,” Kibbee said. “I think we still have
enough officers and a plan in place to deal with anything that would crop up downtown.”

“We’ll have a heavy police presence both on bike and foot in the downtown core tomorrow and also in other geographic locations in the city,” he added.

Any officers on duty will be taking personal precautions to stay safe and healthy.

“All officers in the department whether they’re doing May Day duties tomorrow or ready to patrol, they have been issued personal protective equipment, to include the N-95 mask, gloves, and eye wear,” Kibbee said. “Tomorrow will be in no exception.”

Given the demonstration management that may be required, Kibbee said the mask may or may not be feasible, but all SPD employees will be wearing PPE whenever possible.

Otherwise, there are no rule changes this year because of the coronavirus in terms of managing any protests and crowds.

“We’re working under the same general rules,” he said. “I think at the end of the day, peaceful protests have always been facilitated and allowed by SPD. We will continue that for tomorrow.”

The SPD will be present to make sure everyone is safe, but officers will not be arresting anyone for violating the stay-at-home order or if social distancing measures are not being followed.

Virologist: Olympia protest could lead to spike in WA coronavirus cases

“Chief Best has been pretty clear, and SPD so far has been very clear, that we’re in more of an asking for voluntary compliance, education mode as opposed to arresting or making any kind of reports for the governor’s order,” Kibbee said.

Hopefully, he said, if anyone goes downtown to protest on May Day this year, they listen to SPD’s requests to “either move along or break it up a little bit.”

Listen to the Jason Rantz Show weekday afternoons from 3 – 6 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (or HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here.

Follow @http://twitter.com/Mynorthwest