Protesters and police officers faced off Sunday night in Seattle, Washington, following a George Floyd demonstration in the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.
“Just before midnight, police reported that someone had thrown a glass bottle at a Washington National Guard member. Minutes later, the incident commander on site issued dispersal orders, demanding the crowd leave immediately,” according to MyNorthwest.com.
In addition to the bottle, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) later tweeted that the protesters also shined lasers into the officers’ eyes as they repeatedly ordered them to back up.
The crowd is throwing bottles, rocks, fireworks, and other projectiles at officers. The crowd is shining green lasers into officers’ eyes.
Officers are responding with OC Spray and blast balls.
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) June 8, 2020
Later, flash bangs and tear gas were approved to be used on the crowd by police, according to KIRO 7.
“Even though officers used pepper spray and flash bangs, the crowd did not disperse easily. Protesters rebuilt a barricade that had been taken down,” the article read.
At a press conference on Sunday, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced changes in public safety and crowd management policies after meeting with Black Lives Matter Seattle and other community leaders.
“Particularly now at this time in our country, when it feels like the national politics slides even further towards a despot, our local government must be different. We serve the people. Our policing must reflect this,” the mayor said.
Following the announcement, Durkan tweeted that she would send an Emergency Order to the city council that required officers to keep their body cameras on during public protests.
1. Tomorrow, I will issue an Emergency Order and send it to the @SeattleCouncil requiring that officers turn on their body cameras during public protests. I recognize that public trust and confidence is broken – people want body cams on to provide additional accountability.
— Mayor Jenny Durkan (@MayorJenny) June 8, 2020
Durkan also said officials needed to change how they thought about policing, adding that in many circumstances when residents called 911, they “do not need someone with a gun to show up.”
“We need to add to programs like our civilian Community Services Officers, our Crisis Intervention Team, and the Community Policing Bureau. These strategies have been successful in engaging and connecting SPD with community,” Durkan continued.
Later on Twitter, the mayor said the city did not need more escalation, “We need more solutions.”
“I don’t have all of the answers, but if we listen to community voices and if we move forward together, I believe Seattle can lead the way to creating lasting change,” she concluded.
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