Police arrested four people involved in a planned demonstration in Capitol Hill on New Year’s Eve.
Officers began monitoring a demonstration that began in Cal Anderson Park at 8:00 p.m. Thursday. A group began marching in the streets toward downtown, then headed back into Capitol Hill. Near East Marion Street and 12th Avenue, police arrested a suspect for property damage that occurred earlier during the march. The suspect had fireworks and a glass beverage bottle full of gasoline on his person at the time of his arrest. While the group and police were at 12th and Marion, a separate unidentified member of the group threw frozen eggs at officers.
At approximately 10:30 p.m., employees at the King County Youth Service Center (KCYSC) reported a second group of demonstrators were possibly attempting to make entry to their facility. Staff also reported the group was setting off fireworks in the direction of the building. When officers attempted to detain one suspect, they ran from police, but were eventually arrested for obstruction. The rest of the group at KCYSC dispersed after that event.
The first group of demonstrators continued on toward the East Precinct. The group stopped in the intersection of 12th Avenue and East Pine Street, blocking the intersection, and set a flag on fire, leading police to order the group to disperse. The group eventually moved out of the intersection. On their way back towards Cal Anderson Park, an unknown suspect in the group broke several large windows at a business at 12th Ave and E Olive St.
Officers arrested two members of the group for vandalizing the East Precinct, and the crowd dispersed a short time later.
