Seattle Officially Extends Its Curfew Through Saturday Night
Last night, Police Chief Carmen Best announced an extended curfew in Seattle until Saturday. The new hours are from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Curfews have been put in place every day since Saturday, May 29, and were announced on a day by day basis. This is the first extended curfew placed in the city.
"We're using this as a tool to help us make sure that we can do everything that we can to keep all of us safe as we're out there in the field with the protestors and demonstrations," Police Chief Best said during a press conference last night.
She also noted that even though the majority of the demonstrations have remained peaceful, there have still been accounts of rioting, looting, and attacks on police.
Protests and peaceful gatherings are expected to continue today with a "Defund Seattle Police March & Rally For Black Lives Matter" at 1:30 p.m. at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood.
The rally today is calling for a few reconsiderations in the City's spending.
It includes the defunding of the Seattle Police Department, the funding of community-based health and safety, and the desire to drop all charges against citizens who were arrested during protests over the past five days and nights.
Since the protests broke out in Seattle last Friday, May 29, there have been 89 arrests in King County for assault, burglary, and property damage, according to the SPD Blotter.
Last night, the Washington State Patrol closed and reopened I-5, Seattle's main freeway, throughout the evening as protesters walked up an on-ramp and onto the roadway.
The closure was from I-90 to State Route 520, reported KIRO News.
KIRO also said, "Tuesday's protest followed a night of unrest in the city of Seattle. Police used tear gas and flash bangs to disperse a crowd outside the East Police Precinct on Capitol Hill."
There were still moments of "solidarity" throughout the day when police took a knee with protestors.
Police Chief Best says she thinks a curfew for King County is the best practice moving forward through the rest of the week.