Massive demonstrations in downtown Seattle with the Old Navy store, Eileen Fisher on fire and Nordstrom's flagship store, The Cheesecake Factory and Helly Hansen among those being looted. Four or five police cruisers set on fire. Westlake and areas nearby were in chaos. The i-5 freeway was blocked by protestors for a time.
200 members of the National Guard were called in by Governor Jay Inslee to restore order in Seattle. 75 were set to arrive this evening. These troops are unarmed.
Demonstrations around the nation have been taking place in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN. But peaceful demonstrations have been quickly devolving into violence.
Alert Seattle notified people that "Demonstrators have made their way onto I-5 and throughout the downtown core. Proceed with caution and avoid the area if possible."
A 5pm curfew has been put into effect meaning anyone on the street can be arrested. It will remain in effect until 5am tomorrow.
Mayor Durkan held a press conference at 6pm.
Durkan said, “While most of those protests were peaceful, there have been isolated but significant events of violence and destruction. This temporary curfew is intended to preserve the health and safety of our residents by keeping our streets safe and accessible for essential workers and first responders and preventing the further spread of COVID-19,” said Mayor Durkan.
The temporary curfew does not impact people who need to commute to work during these hours, people experiencing homelessness, people in a medical emergency or people in a dangerous situation, first responders, health care workers, and the news media. In addition, the curfew does not require businesses to close while it is in effect, and it will not alter public transit schedules. The Mayor and Chiefs ask all residents and visitors to voluntarily abide by the curfew. The City does not intend to enforce the curfew, except for violations that result in public health and safety threats including fires, extensive property damage, and violence.
This is what we all said would happen when the insane liberal government in Seattle began taking over when I was growing up there. Now I don't even like coming home to visit family because of all the bums on the street and social experimentation that's destroyed what was once a vibrant culturally active city. This is what you get when your view of society is to placate and bow to the whims of the anti-social at the total expense to the productive citizen.