SEATTLE — New tensions are rising in Seattle’s Capitol Hill on Saturday after a protest Friday night turned destructive, targeting businesses and ATMs.
Seattle police say they were responding to reports of more property damage on Capitol Hill just before 5 o’clock Saturday night when the arriving officers were attacked by the crowd. The officers called for backup. One person was arrested in the altercation that ensued.
It has been a violent 24 hours in that neighborhood for Seattle police.
An employee of a business that was attacked struggled to understand.
"So when we came here at around 11 a.m. this morning to open this store, that's the first time we realized that," said Satosh Gurung, a UPS employee. "We had no clue."
Gurung stood outside the two shattered windows at the UPS store on Broadway Avenue. The windows were covered with sheets of plastic by a good Samaritan.
"And I see that sign, that 'support the USPS,' " he said, referring to the initials for United States Post Office left on his building. "But that doesn't make any sense because we, as UPS, also support the postal service. We take packages for them. And I don't know how people are making sense."
This business was not alone. Video posted online shows men in masks destroying an ATM south on Broadway just a few feet from Dick's.
In light of this Saturday, several people who were not there said they are sympathetic to the underpinnings of the protests, even the violence.
"I can definitely understand why people are upset and angry," said Karan Desai, a Capitol Hill resident. "I, myself, have had unfortunate situations with the police and government officials elsewhere."
"You know it's kinda getting twisted and turned, you know, in a bad image, unfortunately, by some people," said Marcus Machado, Tukwila. "But the fact that we're talking about racism is really ... it's exciting."
"Being an immigrant, I personally support the Black Lives Matter and all the protests going on," said Gurung, the UPS employee. "But breaking into businesses and not supporting the local businesses that are owned by the individual owner, who works every day, all day, to make some money, it doesn't make any sense to me."
Seattle police did manage to arrest three people. But they were not the ones doing the damage. They were in cars trying to prevent officers from getting to the crime scene.
The King County Jail roster shows three men were booked on rendering criminal assistance just after midnight Sunday. They were released on $1,000 bail.
SPD says the investigation is active and ongoing.
Cox Media Group
