Seattle Considers Resolution To Protect Media, Medics At Protests

SEATTLE, WA — For months now, protesters have been taking to Seattle's streets to speak out against police brutality and biased policing, and in that time there have been numerous reports of journalists, medics, and legal observers being attacked or otherwise harmed by police as they combat the protesters. Now, Seattle City Council is considering a resolution to better protect those groups as they observe, report on, or treat the wounded at protests.

Monday, Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda introduced the new resolution, saying it was necessary to protect freedom of the press and the safety of the public.

"Journalists and legal observers should never be intimidated or targeted as they cover protests, and medics and firefighters should be free from harm when caring for protesters," said Mosqueda in a statement. "This resolution condemns any intentional targeting of press, legal observers, or medical personnel, who have the right to document police conduct during protests and care for those in need."

Since protests began, there have been many reports of medics, legal observers and journalists being attacked or wounded by Seattle Police officers.

In early June, one incident made headlines when a young protester's heart stopped three times after she was directly hit by a police blast ball. Medics treating the woman reported that police intentionally attacked their medical tent with flash bangs while they were giving her life-saving treatment. A complaint to the Office of Police Accountability has been filed for that incident.

Video taken at a more recent protest shows a nurse in scrubs being sprayed directly in the face as she tries to rescue a fellow demonstrator, and a team of trained legal observers reported that they had been intentionally targeted by police while they dispersed crowds at that same Capitol Hill rally. Legal observer's attendance at protests are protected by law.

"Injuring us, threatening us, intimidating us — whatever — is not going to prevent us from returning when we're asked to be there," Annika Carlsten, the legal observers' lead coordinator told Patch.

"It’s appalling that the City Council has to affirm basic human rights while we are in the midst of a civil rights awakening combined with overlapping crises, including a deadly pandemic, economic collapse and ongoing affordable housing crises," Mosqueda said.

Councilmember Mosqueda's office points to a similar resolution passed in Portland late last month as an inspiration and sign that these sorts of protections can be helpful.

Mosqueda is also asking that the City Attorney's Office withdraw their support from a recent Seattle Police Department subpoena demanding that local media hand footage over to police, to be used in the prosecution of protesters. A judge recently ruled that the media can be legally compelled to give that footage to police, a move that has been decried by journalists and lawmakers alike.

"Members of the press should never be seen as an extension of the police and must always be seen as separate and free from the government," said Mosqueda.