Reports all over the media said there are at least two people arrested in Seattle, with a police officer rushed to the hospital after protesters broke into an Amazon store Sunday after their march downtown. The Associated Press also contributed to the breaking story.
According to the police, it was Sunday evening when the protesters broke windows of the East Precinct, and even threw an explosive device in the lobby, starting a fire. The fire is later extinguished nonetheless, leaving no injuries reported.
The police are condemning these as criminal acts.
Started early in the afternoon
The protests began at around two in the afternoon, specifically nearby the intersection of Pine Street and 3rd Avenue. The Seattle police are tweeting updates about the incident. For instance, there traffic channels are showing the protesters blocking the intersection.
Around 30 minutes later, Katie Daviscourt, a journalist in the vicinity tweeted a clip showing the crowd forming outside the Amazon Go store. There were already people spray-painting the store while others were smashing windows.
The protesters were identified to belong to the Black Lives Matter movement demonstrators, and the Antifa militant groups.
The journalist tweeted, "This protest has turned into a riot."
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Updates from Seattle police
The crowd continued to move toward Pike Street at around 5 p.m., and at this hour on Sunday, two people were arrested.
The protesters, according to Seattle authorities, were throwing bottles, rocks, and other goods at the officers, with one of the members of the police hurt and rushed to a nearby hospital.
There were videos being posted on Twitter showing how the protesters smashed windows of not just the Amazon store, but other establishments too.
The police officers tried their very best to block and mitigate the protest, for instance, installing barricades at the entrance to Interstate 5 so protesters are unable to enter, Seattle media
reported.
'Criminal acts'
The demonstrators moved their way from Westlake Park toward the Municipal Courthouse, before traveling back north to the West precinct, and destroying properties.
The police issued their statement, "These are criminal acts, not peaceful protests."
The protests are following the series of activism after the death of African-American George Floyd in the hands of Minneapolis authorities in May.
Also Read: Amazon Go Convenience Store Eliminates Lines And Checkout: Grab What You Need And Just Go [Video]
NOW: Antifa Militants and Black Lives Matter rioters are breaking into Amazon Go Downtown Seattle. This protest has turned into a riot. #SeattleProtest #AntifaDomesticTerrorists #seattleriots #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/RH8u56fCGP — Katie Daviscourt (@KatieDaviscourt) July 19, 2020
