Police Warn Seattle May Day Protesters To Stay Off Freeways

SEATTLE, WA - State police issued a public warning Tuesday to protesters planning demonstrations for May Day: stay off the freeways, or face arrest. The shutting down of freeways has been used as a protest tactic in the Seattle area and beyond for decades. But the practice has seen a resurgence recently, particularly around Black Lives Matter protests.

In February, protesters in Bellingham demonstrating against the Dakota Access Pipeline project blocked the northbound lanes of I-5. The protesters drove cars onto the highway, slowed down to a stop, and then demonstrated on the roadway for about an hour. State police say the protest contributed to a car accident that happened near the end of the traffic jam caused by the protest.

“The Washington State Patrol respects the rights of citizens to engage in civil protests and other acts of civil disobedience. However, any actions taken by an unauthorized person or persons to shut down a federal interstate highway system would be dangerous and irresponsible behavior that could cause serious and/or fatal injuries to involved protesters and unassuming highway users.” Capt. Ron Mead, commander for state police in King County, said in a press release on Tuesday.

May Day - May 1 - is a big protesting day in Seattle. May Day is an international holiday meant to honor the organized labor movement and workers' rights. On Monday, the Seattle City Council approved a resolution allowing city workers to take an unpaid day off May 1 to protest.

Protests are largely peaceful, but May Day marches are often disrupted by anarchists, and downtown businesses are sometimes vandalized. During May Day 2016, Seattle police deployed tear gas and arrested nine people. One Seattle officer sustained a facial laceration, and some protesters were reportedly throwing Molotov cocktails.

Image via Patch.com