Federal Agents Arrive In Seattle Ahead Of Weekend Protests

SEATTLE, WA — A team of federal agents arrived in Seattle Thursday night, sparking concerns from local leaders that a situation could develop akin to the ongoing violence in Portland.

Federal officers have been stationed in Portland throughout much of July, clashing nightly with demonstrators, while deploying tear gas and other devices, particularly in areas around the city's federal courthouse. In at least one instance, people were picked from the street by unidentified agents and put into an unmarked van.

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Thursday afternoon, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Gov. Jay Inslee said the Department of Homeland Security had communicated no plans to send federal forces to Seattle and promised to notify local officials if that changed.

By the evening, local photojournalists captured images of two federal planes arriving at Boeing Field, carrying an unknown number of agents from Customs and Border Patrol. News of their arrival brought immediate pushback.

King County Executive Dow Constantine tweeted confirmation of a New York Times report, saying he received information that more than a dozen federal personnel had arrived and drove to "an unknown destination."

"Let me be clear: this community rejects Trump's unconstitutional use of federal force," Constantine wrote. "It is a transparent attempt to intimidate. But we will not be intimidated. Know your rights. Stay vigilant, stay safe, and stay away from federal agents."

A short time later, Inslee criticized the federal government for sending unrequested personnel to Seattle, following a day of conflicting messages provided to his office.

Mayor Durkan held a news conference at City Hall Friday morning, joined by Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best to discuss the federal government's presence and share concerns about planned demonstrations this weekend.

The mayor began by speaking out against two incidents in the last week, which included property damage, fires and vandalism, and cautioned demonstrators against giving the president the appearance of justification for recent federal actions.

"I'd like everyone to please consider their actions, particularly in light of the President making good on his threats to send federal forces into American cities," Durkan said. "Our residents should continue to peacefully demonstrate and make their voices heard, regardless of this President's threat — I stand with you. But we can't pretend that his comments are just bluster. Acts of destruction, which we saw, could serve as the fodder for the President's attempts to somehow show there's a need for him to come into Seattle or other cities."

Durkan reiterated that neither her office nor the police department had requested federal assistance. Contrary to earlier assurances by the acting Secretary of Homeland Security, the mayor said the city was not notified about the deployment.

"It is really unprecedented for federal agents to be surged to a city without a request," Durkan said.

The mayor said her office is coordinating with the City Attorney's Office and state Attorney General Bob Ferguson to mount a legal challenge, should one become necessary.

"We are united and will act together and are prepared to take whatever legal steps we need to, to make sure that what happened in Portland does not happen in Seattle," she said.

According to the Seattle Times, a federal spokesman said the team would remain on stand-by at an undisclosed location to reinforce federal properties if necessary. Brian Moran, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington, said Friday that the agents were summoned to Seattle "to protect federal properties and the important work that occurs in our courthouses and federal buildings."

Seattle City Council President M. Lorena González and Councilmember Lisa Herbold signed a joint statement Friday morning condemning the deployment of federal agents, saying in part:

"President Trump’s deployment of federal agents to Seattle is dangerous political theater designed to intimidate and harm Americans exercising their constitutional right to protest. Weaponizing federal agents against the people they serve is unacceptable. Protests demanding transformational change to a broken policing model must not be met with threats of violence from federal agents.

We will not allow the Trump Administration to reign terror on the residents of the City of Seattle. We are united in our belief that debate and demonstrations are fundamental to making our city and our country better.

We ask all members of the public to be vigilant, to have a safety plan, and to know your rights, if you are demonstrating or are near demonstration areas. If you are detained, you have the right to remain silent and to speak to an attorney. The U.S. Constitution provides rights for everyone, regardless of your immigration status."

Police department barricades precincts, adjusts response for weekend demonstrations

Answering questions from reporters about a new concrete wall constructed outside the West Precinct, Chief Best said she wanted an added layer of protection around the facilities that would prevent unnecessary "direct contact" between police and people who are "bent on destruction."

Best referenced her letter sent to City Council on Thursday, reiterating concerns over a new ordinance banning most crowd control weapons, which was set to take effect on Sunday.

"With this Council ordinance, we hear loudly and clearly that the use of these less-lethal tools by SPD officers to disperse crowds that have turned violent have been completely banned by the city council," Best wrote. "Under these circumstances, as created by Council, we cannot manage demonstrations as we have in the past. If I am not allowed to lawfully equip officers with the tools they have been trained to use to protect the community and themselves, it would be reckless to have them confront this level of violence under the legal restrictions imposed by the Council."

The Community Police Commission, one of Seattle's three police accountability branches, published a statement Friday evening in response to the chief's remarks. It begins:

"Instead of focusing on using 'batons and riots shields,' the Seattle Police Department should be focusing on ways to de-escalate and ensure protesters are safe. The unity trust, particularly in the face of potential unconstitutional and violent intervention by federal troops."

The ban on crowd control weapons was passed unanimously by the City Council in June, in response to several consecutive nights outside the East Precinct where officers used tear gas, flash-bangs, pepper spray and other devices on large groups. At least one protestor was seriously injured by a projectile, and residents living in nearby apartments were exposed to thick clouds of tear gas on multiple nights.

A legal challenge to the ordinance, brought by the mayor and police chief, failed earlier this week. The Department of Justice filed a new motion Friday seeking a temporary restraining order, arguing the council's law conflicts with the federal consent decree. Late in the evening, a federal judge granted the request on a "very temporary" basis, pending additional feedback from Seattle's police accountability offices.