Story at a glance
- At least 18 people were arrested Sunday night during an anti-police demonstration.
- “Multiple explosives were thrown toward officers,” the Seattle Police Department said in a statement. “Several officers were struck by explosives and injured.”
- Seattle has experienced protests against racial injustice and police brutality, several of which have turned violent, following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in May.
Several officers were injured and 18 people were arrested in Seattle following an anti-police union demonstration that devolved into a violent riot Sunday night, according to the Seattle Police Department.
Authorities said about 100 people began marching through Seattle’s International District around 7 p.m. toward the Seattle Police Officer Guild building and were accompanied by vehicles following the group.
Shortly after 10 p.m., demonstrators set off a large explosive and tried to break out a police vehicle window.
As police tried to break up the group, protesters began throwing rocks and bottles at officers. Several explosives were thrown toward police, and at least three officers were injured with one hospitalized.
“Multiple explosives were thrown toward officers,” the Seattle Police Department said in a statement. “Several officers were struck by explosives and injured.” Videos online show what appears to be fireworks exploding near officers.
Officers sustained burns last night at the #antifa riot in Seattle. Like Portland, the militants there buy and use large commercial-grade firework explosives as weapons. #SeattleRiots pic.twitter.com/6skruuFhY0
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 17, 2020
Police then declared the gathering a riot and used pepper spray and blast balls to stop the assault on officers.
Videos posted online shows a large mob trying to block police from responding to the attack by scattering traffic barrels across the road.
Simultaneously in Seattle overnight, a large mob of antifa black bloc rioted by attacking SPD with explosives and rocks. An officer was hospitalized for his injuries. Here they tried to block police from responding by moving junk in the road. #SeattleRiots pic.twitter.com/YaSDggu81G
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 17, 2020
Seattle has experienced protests against racial injustice and police brutality after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in May.
Police arrested three people Friday night after reports of broken windows and graffiti at businesses in the Capitol Hill neighborhood during a march of about 100 protesters, who were seen carrying shields and wearing gas masks, according to The Seattle Times.
Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best announced she was stepping down last week after the city council approved cuts to her department’s budget. She cited a “lack of respect” for her officers rather than the cuts to the budget as the reason for her resignation.
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