Police and Public Safety

People look on a cordoned off Pine Street just before protesters add "Black Lives Matter Way" in big block letters. (Photo by author)

SPD Hopes to Reclaim East Precinct from CHAZ, but Protesters Say Finders Keepers

Like a phoenix rising from an ashy war zone, Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone ("CHAZ") emerged after the Seattle Police Department (SPD) abandoned the East...
"Welcome to the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone" reads a new sign on Pine Street. (Photo by Michael Goldman)

Protesters Seize East Precinct and Gain Backing for Siphoning Off SPD Funding

After a desperate final stand Sunday night in which they again tear-gassed protesters (this time with Councilmember Kshama Sawant in the crowd), the Seattle...
Shaun Scott at Gas Works Park. (Photo credit: Alex Garland)

Protest, Policing, and the Prospect for Change: Shaun Scott Breaks It Down with The...

Our monthly meetup guest this month was former Seattle City Council candidate Shaun Scott. On Tuesday, he touched on a wide range of topics...
Protesters react with fists raised in solidarity as Nikkita Oliver takes the stage at City Hall on Wednesday June 3rd. (Photo by Doug Trumm)

The Urbanist Stands in Support of Black Lives Matter

George Floyd's murder was the tip of the iceberg when it comes to police murders. Despite efforts by Mayor Jenny Durkan and the Seattle...
A wall of police with riot shields outside East Precinct.

Council Stands with Protesters as Police Turn Violent Again in Day 9

Police again deployed chemical weapons and flash bang grenades on nonviolent protesters Saturday night, but by midnight four Seattle City Councilmembers were standing at...
Tear gas rises near the East Precinct building on E. Pine St. on Monday, May 1, as police disperse a crowd of protestors. (Photo by Ethan Campbell)

Capitol Hill Deserves Answers and Accountability from Seattle Police

For days now, the constant presence of police, armored SWAT vans, “unarmed” but baton-wielding National Guard members, and circling surveillance aircraft have felt like...

Day 6 of Protests: Nikkita Oliver Rallies Thousands, Mayor Durkan Backpedals

The sixth day of Black Lives Matter protests felt like a turning point and perhaps even a moment of catharsis--while activists acknowledged the work...
A large contingent of police barricaded 4th Avenue with their bicycles, blocking a route out of Westlake Park. (Photo by Robert Cruikshank)

On Fifth Day of Protest, Mayor Durkan Pledges Changes but Won’t Surrender Her Tear...

"I'm not going to stand up and make a promise," Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said to a crowd of people protesting police violence demanding...