Ron Johnson, a former member of the Black Panthers, read excerpts from Dr. King's
"I Have A Dream Speech" to an appreciative crowd gathered outside the courthouse.
Around 2:30PM an independent group of marchers began acts of civil disobedience. They blockaded Highway 99 in the heart of downtown Seattle. Traffic blockages by protesters continued at that location and near Interstate Five at Mercer Street for several hours.
At one point, commuters began to climb out of their cars and take photos and video with their smart phones. Some of the drivers began to climb onto
the roofs of their vehicles in order to get a better look at the protest.
Seattle police blocked the entrance to Interstate Five with squad cars, so the marchers converged on the Mercer Street exit instead.
19 people were arrested at protests later in the afternoon.(blogs.seattletimes.com/...)
On Aurora Avenue (Hwy 99) police had to saw through pipes which the protesters had used to lock their arms together, making arrests difficult. Seattle police in riot gear with long clubs occupied Highway 99 after they finally cleared demonstrators from the area around 4:30PM.
During these acts of civil disobedience, demonstrators handed out statements which read
-- to those those whose days are inconvenienced by our brief presence here, we remind you that the combination of anti-Black police brutality, disproportionate disciplining of Black youth by Seattle Public Schools, and rampant gentrification of historically Black neighborhoods has also been disruptive to Black communities in Seattle. Until Seattle and its police department stop brutalizing Black and Brown lives, allies will continue to engage in civil disobedience, and we will stand vocally and visibly in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement."
Protesters who blocked traffic also quoted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. -
"The problem of racism, the problem of economic exploitation, and the problem of war are all tied together. These are the triple evils that are interrelated."
A new national movement for civil rights has gained momentum since the Ferguson demonstrations. There have been dozens of marches and rallies in Seattle since the shooting of Michael Brown. Seattle protest organizers say they will continue to rally and march against racism and police brutality.
Jesse Hagopian declares that his Garfield High School students are determined to shine a light on the injustices of institutionalized racism. He told the demonstrators gathered at the courthouse rally,
"I'm proud to say that I've never seen a struggle erupt with such emotion and as much passion as we're seeing right now."
Will the current wave of "Hands Up Don't Shoot" protests eventually subside?
According to Hagopian the answer is an unequivocal, "No!"
"This movement is too big," he said. "There are too many people who know that black lives matter."
"I Have A Dream Speech" to an appreciative crowd gathered outside the courthouse.
Around 2:30PM an independent group of marchers began acts of civil disobedience. They blockaded Highway 99 in the heart of downtown Seattle. Traffic blockages by protesters continued at that location and near Interstate Five at Mercer Street for several hours.
At one point, commuters began to climb out of their cars and take photos and video with their smart phones. Some of the drivers began to climb onto
the roofs of their vehicles in order to get a better look at the protest.
Seattle police blocked the entrance to Interstate Five with squad cars, so the marchers converged on the Mercer Street exit instead.
On Aurora Avenue (Hwy 99) police had to saw through pipes which the protesters had used to lock their arms together, making arrests difficult. Seattle police in riot gear with long clubs occupied Highway 99 after they finally cleared demonstrators from the area around 4:30PM.
During these acts of civil disobedience, demonstrators handed out statements which read
-- to those those whose days are inconvenienced by our brief presence here, we remind you that the combination of anti-Black police brutality, disproportionate disciplining of Black youth by Seattle Public Schools, and rampant gentrification of historically Black neighborhoods has also been disruptive to Black communities in Seattle. Until Seattle and its police department stop brutalizing Black and Brown lives, allies will continue to engage in civil disobedience, and we will stand vocally and visibly in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement."
Protesters who blocked traffic also quoted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. -
"The problem of racism, the problem of economic exploitation, and the problem of war are all tied together. These are the triple evils that are interrelated."
A new national movement for civil rights has gained momentum since the Ferguson demonstrations. There have been dozens of marches and rallies in Seattle since the shooting of Michael Brown. Seattle protest organizers say they will continue to rally and march against racism and police brutality.
Jesse Hagopian declares that his Garfield High School students are determined to shine a light on the injustices of institutionalized racism. He told the demonstrators gathered at the courthouse rally,
"I'm proud to say that I've never seen a struggle erupt with such emotion and as much passion as we're seeing right now."
Will the current wave of "Hands Up Don't Shoot" protests eventually subside?
According to Hagopian the answer is an unequivocal, "No!"
"This movement is too big," he said. "There are too many people who know that black lives matter."
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