Seattle’s anti-police protesters recently marched on the home of a city councilwoman shouting “Defund the Police.” The protesters have been visiting many of the city’s councilmembers, leaving vulgar graffiti and notes on their streets and houses. Some have even threatened physical violence. Matt Markovich reports for KOMO News:
About 50 protesters on Tuesday marched to the home of Seattle Councilmember Debra Juarez despite three recent public pleas from Council President Lorena Gonzales to end such protests.
Gonzales reported that demonstrators marched to her West Seattle home Monday night after she had just hours before requested that councilmembers’ homes and their families be removed from the political fight over defunding the Seattle Police Department.
Protesters chanting “Black Lives Matter” and “Defund police” stood in front of Juarez’s North Seattle home for about an hour, her neighbors said.
“It’s disgusting what they put down here in front of Juarez’s house,” said Denise, who lives in the neighborhood.
In previous visits, demonstrators painted slogans on the street in front of Juarez’s home and left post-it notes on her house, some of them vulgar, Denise said.
“We need to get back to sitting down and meeting and not violating our streets and people’s privacy,” she said.
Ten days ago, protesters rallied in front of Councilmember Alex Pedersen’s Ravenna neighborhood. Protesters left notes on his home and painted the street with slogans. Gonzales said during Monday’s council briefing session that Pedersen and his family felt threatened.
“Threats of physical or serious bodily injury if he did not vote in a particular way,” Gonzales said.
Now some Seattle residents are fighting back against the violent mob by calling in to city council meetings to tell members that they do not want the police defunded. Q13 Fox’s Simone Del Rosario reports:
The Seattle City Council heard from hundreds during Wednesday’s budget meeting as members get closer to a vote on whether to defund the police department by 50 percent, a decision that could lead to the firing of hundreds of officers.
While the “defund” crowd has been strengthening for months, calls against defunding are starting to pick up. One day after launching a “Stop Defunding” petition, the Seattle Police Officers Guild said they already collected more than 20,000 signatures.
At a critical time in Seattle’s history, the city council is faced with a decision that will reverberate for years to come. Nearly 300 people signed up for public comment Wednesday. It took nearly three hours to hear from everyone available.
“Defunding SPD is a radical experiment that will hurt the vulnerable,” one caller said.
Seattle’s radical “defund” movement is asking for a 50% reduction in funds for the police department. Despite, as Heibi Mills of Seattle Business reports, rising crime in the city:
The increasing prevalence of crime, drugs and homelessness in the downtown core threatens the city’s thriving tourism and convention business, and worries retailers concerned that the city isn’t doing nearly enough to combat the crisis. Downtown crime is increasing at an alarming rate: City of Seattle crime data for downtown Seattle indicate a jump in “person crimes” (aggravated assault, robbery, rape and homicide) of 43 percent between 2016 and 2018. In the downtown commercial district, there was a total of 568 person crimes in 2018, up from 397 in 2016, Seattle Police Department records show.
With crime rising, and most city council members already committed to taking funds away from police, Seattle residents need to prepare to defend themselves. They should escape the city, or get their guns and their training now.
If you’re worried about your city’s future or want to learn more about the importance of defending yourself and your family, you need to get serious about your preparation. You can start by signing up for my monthly Survive & Thrive newsletter by clicking here, but only if you’re ready to get serious.
