SEATTLE — A KIRO 7 crew captured video of a woman stealing a cake from the downtown Cheesecake Factory in the midst of riots following protests over the death of George Floyd.
>> Cars burned, stores looted after Seattle protests turn destructive; dozens arrested
After several hours of peaceful gatherings and marches earlier Saturday, Seattle police said the crowd turned violent, throwing bottles and Molotov cocktails, setting fires, breaking windows and looting businesses in the downtown core.
Protesters, many wearing masks, looted and vandalized stores, including Nordstrom and Old Navy.
>> PHOTOS: Multiple stores looted when protests spiral into violence
Windows of the Cheesecake Factory were also smashed, and people were seen throwing bottles of alcohol outside.
One KIRO 7 camera captured a protester wearing a mask walking away from the store carrying an entire cheesecake. The video quickly gained traction on social media.
Graffiti was also scrawled across numerous store fronts along Sixth near Olive, where the street was lined with burned-out cars.
By 11 p.m. Saturday, most of downtown had cleared out of the area. Cleanup began Sunday mornings with crews from the city as well as groups of volunteers who showed up to help.
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