SEATTLE — Protesters gathered Sunday despite the violence that erupted during Saturday’s protests, which started peacefully. Demonstrators said the chaos would not deter their message.
A group had gathered at about 5 p.m. at Seattle Central College with “Black Lives Matter” and “defund police” signs and then started marching. An hour and a half later, the group headed toward the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct.
Eventually, the protesters made a line across East Pine Street near 12th Avenue — not too far from where a line of officers on bicycles was located — with signs and recycling and garbage bins.
Police in riot gear who were nearby moved in and cleared the intersection.
Some of the demonstrators in the group were met by counterprotesters and were even challenged by a woman who questioned their motives.
“You guys don’t have a right to touch any of their cameras, right. What the hell is going on here? This has nothing to do with Black lives,” the woman said.
However, there were others from the neighborhood still standing by in support.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily to actually, you know, set fires and do any form of destruction. That’s pretty much unnecessary. It is necessary to get the point across to law enforcement this can’t continue, and it won’t continue,” one neighbor said.
Another person said, “Definitely lives are more important than property. You can rebuild.”
At the height of Sunday’s rally, a few hundred people marched and participated in the demonstrations, but it was a stark difference from the riots on Saturday. It was much quieter, as the police presence was not the same.
No arrests, clashes or property damage were reported.