George Floyd protests in Seattle

George Floyd riots in Seattle
Part of George Floyd protests in Washington state
Protesters at a sit-in at Seattle City Hall on June 3, 2020
DateSummer 2020
Location
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Caused by
StatusEnded

The city of Seattle experienced protests over the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and 2021. Beginning on May 29, 2020, demonstrators took to the streets throughout the city for marches and sit-ins, often of a peaceful nature but which also devolved into riots. Participants expressed opposition to systemic racism, police brutality and violence against people of color.[3]

By June 8, there had been eleven straight days with major protests in Seattle.[4][5][6] The Capitol Hill neighborhood experienced a week-long series of clashes between demonstrators and police near the East Precinct that culminated in the formation of the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) area, after police abandoned the precinct on June 8. The month of June brought further protests including a Black Lives Matter general strike and silent protest march with 60,000 people on June 12 and several actions throughout the city for Juneteenth. The CHOP zone was reclaimed by police on July 1 after two fatal shootings. It was followed by a fatal vehicle collision with protesters on Interstate 5 over the July 4 holiday.[7]

Major protests reemerged in opposition to the deployment of federal law enforcement in the city by the Trump administration.[8] Additional actions occurred on July 19,[9] July 22,[10] and again on July 25, when several businesses were vandalized and five construction trailers were set on fire at a youth jail.[11][8][12]

  1. ^ Robertson, Nicky (May 30, 2020). "US surgeon general says 'there is no easy prescription to heal our nation'". CNN. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Goldberg, Michelle (May 29, 2020). "Opinion - America Is a Tinderbox". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  3. ^ Carter, Mike (July 19, 2020). "Police say officers injured, buildings vandalized during downtown Seattle protest". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  4. ^ "The Latest: Flash Bang, Pepper Spray Disperses Seattle Crowd". U.S. News & World Report. Associated Press. June 6, 2020.
  5. ^ "In South Seattle protest, activists march with those who've lost loved ones to police". The Seattle Times. June 8, 2020. On the 10th day of major protests in Seattle against police brutality and racial injustice, the "We Want to Live" march brought first-time activists together...
  6. ^ "Protests continue for the 11th straight day in Washington". KING-TV. June 8, 2020.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b "Police declare riot at Seattle protests, make arrests". Associated Press. July 25, 2020.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "Police and protesters clash at Seattle march". BBC News. July 26, 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  12. ^ Thompson, Franque (July 26, 2020). "Seattle rioters leave a trail of destruction after looting businesses, setting 'explosive' fires". Q13 FOX. Retrieved July 26, 2020.