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5 officers injured, 9 protesters arrested in violent May Day march

Seattle police say they arrested nine people during anti-capitalist protests that injured five officers on May Day.

Key developments:

  • Peaceful demonstrators for an immigration and workers’ rights rally wrapped up around 5:30 p.m. after marching through downtown Seattle.
  • Around 6 p.m. around 200 anti-capitalist protesters gathered in Westlake center.
  • Five officers injured
  • Nine people arrested
  • The violent protesters marched through Belltown, downtown, and to SODO despite dispersal order. 
  • Marchers had poles with bolts, rocks, Molotov cocktails and cans of spray paint.
  • Flash bangs used to control crowd
  • The march ended at Costco
  • PHOTOS: May Day marches in Seattle
  • See live updates of Sunday's May Day coverage.

One officer had a laceration around his eye after he was hit with a rock, another was hit with an unlit Molotov cocktail, another was bitten, and two others had other injuries.

Authorities say eight men and one juvenile female were arrested Sunday evening. The charges included obstruction, assault and property destruction.

The worst of the violence happened in the 7 p.m. hour, when protesters launched fireworks and smashed windows.

As about 200 anti-capitalist protesters marched through downtown Seattle, police kept them corralled with unprecedented numbers of officers, herding them from Westlake Center, through Belltown and then SoDo.

They circled the group on every side, until the frustrated marchers eventually fell apart in SoDo.

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After several officers were attacked, police used blast balls to try to disperse the crowds.

“We've said all along, we will march around town all day long, as long it's peaceful. Unfortunately, once assaults started, once property damage started, we took action,” said Seattle police Chief Katherine O’Toole.

Seattle police tweeted a picture of some of the weapons they collected during the protests, including a  number of makeshift bats and a Molotov cocktail.

The FBI confirmed that they searched the home of a protestor in Eastern Washington Sunday morning, found devices at his home.

“Suffice it to say they were possibly incendiary devices, perhaps something similar that we saw tonight,” said Frank Montoya Jr. with the FBI.

Some of those arrested are expected to appear in court Monday.

Cox Media Group

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