SEATTLE, WA – In Seattle’s South of Downtown area, typically referred to as SoDo, a protest that morphed into a riot on the evening of August 16th, resulted in 18 people being arrested and three officers being injured by rioters.
An anti-police union protest in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood was declared a riot Sunday night after demonstrators threw explosives and bottles at police officers and tried to break windows on a police cruiser. https://t.co/rFXLT45RR9
— WNDU (@WNDU) August 17, 2020
A protest, and then subsequent riot, was staged against the police union in Seattle on August 16th. Considering that anti-police sentiments tend to focus a strong stance against the existence of police unions, it’s with little surprise that agitators resorted to violent acts against police tasked with maintaining order.
According to the press release from Seattle’s Public Affairs office, the following was noted about the onset of the demonstration that turned violent:
“The anti-police union march began in the International District around 7:00 PM. There were approximately 100 individuals accompanied by vehicles following behind. The group moved toward the Seattle Police Officer Guild building in the 2900 block of 4th Avenue South.”
In just under three hours after the protest and march started, that’s when explosives were set off by the rioters, and a police vehicle was damaged. After such acts were committed, police on the site of the protest issued orders for the crowd to disband:
“The incident commander issued an order to disperse to the crowd at that time. Individuals in the crowd began throwing rocks and bottles at officers. Multiple explosives were thrown toward officers. Officers moved the crowd northbound on 4th Avenue South. Several officers were struck by explosives and injured.”
Upon the occurrence of officer injuries, additional units were dispatched to 4 Avenue South. Injured officers were treated on site by the Seattle Fire Department, and the riot was officially declared.
After the protest was declared as such, police were said to have used blast balls and OC spray to cease the assaults taking place against police. Officials say that the crowd eventually dispersed after the employment of riot-control techniques.
All of the arrested parties were subsequently booked into the King County Jail, whereas one of the three officers injured required hospitalization.
Photos released by the Public Affairs office showcased one officer having suffered a bruise and burn from one explosive thrown at his face, and a female officer suffering a burn to the back of her neck from an explosive.
Injury to eye after explosive was thrown toward officer – Seattle Public Affairs office 
Burn injury to neck after explosive was thrown toward officer – Seattle Public Affairs office
Officials are still investigating events that took place during the riot.
Weapons by rioters being used at these “protests” have been an ongoing problem in Seattle. We at Law Enforcement Today reported on a bevy of weapons discovered by police in Seattle following one of the many riots the city has endured.
The city of Seattle recently played host to a riot on July 25th, and now police are looking into some of the items recovered from said riot during the course of the investigation into crimes committed during the chaos.
Image of large fireworks modified to function as large explosive, retrieved from van in Seattle riot – Seattle Police press release video screen shot
Chief Carmen Best from the Seattle Police Department was joined alongside Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan on July 29th to announce the investigation into some of the items used by rioters on July 25th.
Apparently, these items came from a van that was driven to the East Precinct on July 25th, and seemingly abandoned.
Bear mace seized from van – Seattle Police
The contents inside were described as fireworks, bear mace, improvised spike strips, body armor, homemade shields and other items.
It just so happens that after that van was dropped off at around 4:25 p.m. out front of the precinct on July 25th, that was around the same time fireworks and other explosives were levied at the police precinct. One explosive was said to have caused a hole in the northside wall of the precinct.
Gas masks recovered from van – Seattle Police
Police made the discovery of the contents of the van after securing a warrant to search the abandoned vehicle, after investigators suspected that the positioning of the van and the fact it was abandoned made police believe that there were incendiary devices inside.
Obviously, that was case – along with weapons, shields, and a means to disable tires on vehicles.
Baton seized from van – Seattle Police
Mayor Durkan, who once coined the antics of these kinds of rioters in June as engaging in the “summer of love”, has certainly changed her tune on these folks:
“Our police department has an obligation to disperse a crowd when dangers to public safety like explosives, fires, individuals intent on causing harm.”
Tazer and OC Spray recovered from van – Seattle Police
After the contents retrieved from the van, Mayor Durkan is finally starting to realize that this isn’t the “summer of love”, but rather violence stemming from malefactors:
“I think what we saw in our city last week in 3 separate protests that there were individuals who were intent on causing harm. And the items seized from this van show exactly what they were planning, saw the results on our street.”
[embedded content]Officials are still investigating all the incidents that took place from the riot on July 25th.
The Seattle Police Department is asking that anyone who may have additional information about the riot to contact Seattle Police Violent Crimes tip-line at (206) 233-5000.
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