Police want to return to precinct shut amid protests

SEATTLE — Seattle police say they are looking to reopen a precinct in the Capitol Hill neighborhood that was shuttered during ongoing George Floyd protests.

At a news conference Wednesday, Assistant Chief Deanna Nollette said barriers were removed from the front of the precinct after it became a flashpoint between officers and protesters. Police also have remained scarce in that area and in the several nights since, protests have continued peacefully.

People on Capitol Hill on Wednesday began painting what looked to be Black Lives Matter on one block of the street as was done in Washington, D.C. Speakers talked about the need to get demands met quickly before the state reopens fully after the COVID-19 pandemic and many can go back to work. Another group walked and biked to the city’s precinct downtown and stood near a fence put up to keep people away.

Over the weekend, officers used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse demonstrators in the area after they say they were assaulted with projectiles. However, several city councilors say police overreacted and needlessly exacerbated tensions. Nollette said the precinct has been boarded up because of credible threats that it would be vandalized or burned. She offered no details about the threats and no fires have been reported at the precinct.

“We are dedicated to working with peaceful protesters on a way to move forward,” Nollette said. “There’s a whole citywide effort to try to identify who the leaders are. It’s just a matter of establishing a dialogue so we can take down the plywood and welcome people back into the lobby.”