Hundreds of people marched wearing masks, black clothing, and backpacks as they carried signs, flags, sticks and banners in Seattle on Thursday evening. The first boisterous rally started in South Seattle and headed downtown, with demonstrators waving red signs seeking an end to deportations and "poverty wages," with a demand for a $15 an hour minimum wage.
Earlier Thursday Mayor Ed Murray announced a plan to phase in a $15 minimum wage over the next seven years.
Seattle police recovered a gun and made several arrests during the protest. SPD first used pepper spray around 8:40 p.m. at an intersection to disperse the crowd. At 9 p.m. they stated they had made three arrests; although they appeared to take several more into custody. Officers on bicycles then stopped protesters in the streets just after 9:40 p.m. by making a formation with their bodies and bicycles.
Shortly before 11 p.m. garbage gans were set on fire as police stayed around the group on Capitol Hill. The arrest count was at least seven, including a man who police say threw a brick at an officer.
Just before 1 a.m. Friday, Seattle police said nine people were arrested during the demonstrations.
- A 22-year-old man for property damage
- A 23-year-old man for assaulting an officer; officers also recovered a gun on the man during the arrest.
- An 18-year-old man for malicious mischief at the scene where he damaged at least one vehicle.
- A 22-year-old man arrested for obstruction.
- A 17-year-old man arrested for property damage.
- A 37-year-old man arrested for assault.
- A 21-year-old man arrested for assault.
- A 19-year-old arrested for assault.
- A 20-year-old man arrested for assault.
- A 17-year-old man arrested for obstruction.
Earlier Thursday night, Seattle police officers on bicycles surrounded someone and took the person into custody. A man wearing black was led away in cuffs and transported in a police van.
They also appeared to take several people into custody outside of a U.S. Bank. Protesters started becoming antagonistic, covering photographers' lenses with their hands and yelling.
Demonstrators marching on told reporters "anarchy lives" and said, "The system is failing," but refused to elaborate. They also chanted, "Whose streets? Our streets!" Some handed out flyers saying, "Capitalism and the state still rule Seattle." One large banner read, "Anti-capitalism, anti-state." Seattle police officers—some wearing forms of body armor or shielding—monitored the march on bicycles and trailed the march in patrol cars.
Violence has plagued May Day in Seattle over the past two years, with protesters challenging police in the streets and sometimes stealing the thunder of much larger daytime events. Seattle police were out in force on bicycles, foot and horseback on Thursday.
Last year, police arrested 18 people from a crowd that pelted them with rocks and bottles. Seattle police say there's been more anti-authority rhetoric leading up to this year's May Day events.
Capt. Chris Fowler, in charge of the department's response to the demonstrations, asked that if people have a message to get out, then that they get it out safely and peacefully. Police escorted the permitted march of immigration and labor activists and also planned to escort any later un-permitted marches, allowing them to block traffic but preparing to step in to stop property damage.
Businesses downtown also prepared, posting security guards outside, taping paper over their windows to discourage graffiti and using metal coat hangers to tie down iron grates along the sidewalks.
The police department's blog said vandals spray-painted a few businesses early Thursday in the Capitol Hill neighborhood: a car dealership, a bank, a restaurant and "the neighborhood headquarters of the oppressive regime at the United States Postal Service."
Officers also found "Kill SPD" painted on the bank, and a flier was circulated calling for killing officers.
"There are issues with our police department. But when people say we ought to kill police, that's unacceptable," Murray said.
KIRO 7 reporters Gary Horcher, Alison Grande, Henry Rosoff, Chris Legeros and Linzi Sheldon contributed to this report, which also includes information The Associated Press.
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