March And Demonstration Planned For Downtown Puyallup

PUYALLUP, WA — A march and demonstration against biased policing has been planned for early Friday afternoon in downtown Puyallup.

The rally will begin at the Washington State Fairgrounds before marching to Pioneer Park around 1 p.m. Police say they are hopeful the march will not affect traffic on S Meridian St, but they say the road may be closed and drivers should prepare alternate routes.

Police are also addressing community concerns: they say they've been in contact with demonstration organizers and have been assured that they are putting on a peaceful demonstration. Officers say they know there has been a lot of fear about violence in Puyallup after several rallies resulted in looting and damages in Seattle and Bellevue, but they expect this rally to be peaceful, and are asking everyone to remain respectful.

Officers say if the situation changes, they will be posting about it on their social media pages, if necessary.

Earlier in week Puyallup Police Chief Scott Engle issued a statement on the death of George Floyd, a black man killed while police detained him in Minneapolis, and whose death has sparked a nationwide outcry over police use of force. His statement reads in part:

"Make no mistake, the death of Mr. Floyd was wrong. The actions of police officers that day failed Mr. Floyd, his family and friends, his community, and our profession. The actions and inaction by officers that day do not reflect the mission, vision, and values of the great men and women of the Puyallup Police Department."