Earlier this morning at 5:30 AM, Seattle Police East Precinct officers responded to a report of a demonstration at 14th Avenue East and East Remington Court, the construction site for the new King County Youth Detention Center.
Three adult women had breached a security fence and entered the construction site. The women were chained together and refused to leave when asked. This is the first time that protestors entered the construction site with intent to disrupt planned construction activity.
Seattle Police monitored the demonstration of approximately 35 protestors for nearly four hours and attempted to negotiate a conclusion to the illegal aspects of the demonstration, including trespassing and failure to comply with a dispersal order (SPD Policy 14.090 – Crowd Management –TSK–3 Issuing the Order to Disperse).
The protestors made it clear that they intended to be arrested rather than leave the construction site interior and away from the construction entrance.
In addition to giving a final appeal to one leader, police proceeded to give two orders to disperse at approximately 9:30 AM. Three adult men and three adult women continued to block the entrance were arrested without incident for pedestrian interference. The three adult women on the interior of the construction were peacefully arrested as well.
All nine individuals were transported to the West Precinct and later booked into King County Jail.