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Seattle Public Schools asks Seattle police not to stage for protests on their property

SEATTLE — Seattle Public Schools says Seattle police did not have permission to stage at schools near the East Precinct last night.

Residents took photos and posted them on social media questioning the move.

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SWAT officers were staging at Seattle World School. Squads of bicycle officers waited in the parking lot at Lowell Elementary, and at Bailey Gatzert Elementary, there were buses that appeared to be full of National Guard troops.

Seattle School Board President Zachary DeWolf was quick to condemn the action and posted on Facebook:

"I saw Seattle SWAT teams at Seattle World School just a block from my home. I do not condone the use of Seattle Public Schools property for staging militarized police against peaceful protestors. The bare minimum is to protect our first amendment right to protest.

"When schools in our neighborhoods are filled with militarized police activity as a show of force against people exercising their first amendment rights, our school buildings no longer feel safe to many of our students."

Seattle Public Schools says Superintendent Denise Juneau contacted Seattle police Chief Carmen Best and asked that SPD no longer stage to handle protests on Seattle Public Schools property. Juneau said Best agreed.