West Seattle, Washington
13 Saturday
(Photo courtesy Randy Winn)
6:01 PM: Thanks for the photo. Local activists gathered at 35th/Edmunds this afternoon for a protest that also served as a memorial. They’re carrying the torch lit by Marjorie Prince, who demonstrated at that corner for months – daily, while others joined her weekly for “Mondays with Marjorie” – until her recent death. Ms. Prince’s activism was lifelong, dating back into the ’60s. Her compatriots plan to continue gathering at this corner at 3 pm Mondays TFN.
ADDED 7:10 PM: Randy Winn, who sent the photo, adds these details:
More than fifty people gathered this afternoon at 35th & Edmunds to honor and remember Marjorie Prince, whose presence has anchored “Mondays With Marjorie” for so long. MJ created a beautiful display inside the little shelter on the corner, laying out a collection of Marjorie’s handmade protest signs along with small memory cards people could take home.
We stood with her signs (and many others) supporting the causes she championed week after week. Someone placed her walker in her usual spot, a quiet reminder of her steadiness and resolve. For an hour, people waved signs, shared stories, and held space together. It was a community showing up the way Marjorie always did.
Some sang (“Give Peace A Chance”), and we all talked about Marjorie and how her example inspires us. As she said, “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.”
ADDED EARLY TUESDAY: Thanks to Lupe Carlos III for additional photos:
(WSB photo: Marjorie Prince during a solo protest last summer)
After many weeks of “Mondays with Marjorie,” today local activists will be protesting at 35th/Edmunds without Marjorie. They are circulating the news that Marjorie Prince, known for her daily protest vigils (often solo) near The Mount, where she lived, has died:
Marjorie passed away quietly this past Tuesday evening. We will be continuing our Mondays with Marjorie every Monday in her honor. Currently we are planning to use our current time from 3-4 pm on Monday, June 8th, as a memorial in her honor. Please feel free to join us that day (or any Monday). She will be missed.
As noted in a WSB story about Ms. Prince and her ongoing protests last December, she focused on a variety of issues that were related to what she called the Trump Administration’s “active dismantling” of the United States. She was a former political-science professor and lifelong Democrat whose experience protesting stretched back to civil-rights demonstrations in 1968. This quote is on the 35th/Edmunds wall in her memory now:
(WSB photo, Monday morning)
CLARIFICATION AND ADDITION: Mondays with Marjorie is a project of Postcards for Democracy, whose Kathryn Rawle circulated this obituary that Ms. Prince co-wrote herself.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
While this morning’s West Seattle rally to save state-funded cooperative-preschool/parent education programs started gently – above, a “fund our schools” singalong to the tune of “Wheels on the Bus” – the message grew fiery, thanks to two locals.
We’ve been covering the situation, which involves the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges changing funding allocation in a way that would in essence defund the program, contending it’s not a workforce pathway. The board rotates meeting locations and was at South Seattle College (local program site and WSB sponsor) on Puget Ridge this morning, so that’s how the rally site was chosen.
The first West Seattleite to speak passionately about saving the program was Chris Lampkin, himself a co-op alum and dad, as well as deputy chief of staff for King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda:
Speeches were interspersed with signwaving and chants.
The other West Seattleite presenting an energetic defense of the parent-education program was State Senator Emily Alvarado, who’s also a mom of a tween and teen; she urged the board to “slow down” the process in hopes something can be worked out to save the program:
The crowd also heard from co-op program reps including educators who said the program was their pathway into the system, countering the contention that it’s not a workforce pathway. If something doesn’t change, the program could shut down as soon as this summer, unless $2 million in funding is found – and that’s a high bar for crowdfunding to clear. They’re trying other forms of advocacy too. We’ll continue following up.
10:30 AM: That’s the traffic-camera view of the “No Kings” rally’s early going in The Junction, where California is blocked from SW Alaska to SW Oregon because of the protest, which hasn’t been done for previous rallies. The main local resistance group, West Seattle Indivisible, is NOT protesting here; it’s gathering its members to take buses to the all-city gathering at Cal Anderson Park, so we don’t know who took out the road-closure permit; we called the number on a notice received by local businesses and the contact person said they wouldn’t talk to us until after 2 pm (when the closure is scheduled to end). Ground pics to come.
10:37 AM: The traffic camera’s not providing consistent live video but we’re told some members of the group have started marching northward. Another camera view shows at least one marked SPD vehicle in the street too.
10:57 AM: That turned out not to be a large-scale march, “just a few,” we’re told by one person on the ground, and the main group remains at the California/Alaska intersection.
11:30 AM: Above is a photo from Colman Dock/Pier 50 on the downtown waterfront, where Water Taxi and state ferry passengers are gathering for the downtown side of today’s rallies.
Meantime, some of the Junction group is marching in Walk-All-Ways on the light, then returning to the north side of the intersection.
12:43 AM: We’re just back from a quick check of other points south of The Junction. Saw a handful of sign-wavers at California/Fauntleroy. Then returned to HQ and saw this group at California/Thistle:
Lots of honking at that 4-way intersection, but it’s not blocked. Elsewhere: We have crew members at The Junction for photos/info we’ll add when they report in; the traffic camera shows things about the same there as they’ve been since 10 am-ish. Meantime, one of West Seattle’s most-prominent residents is speaking at the Cal Anderson rally, a participant tells us – state Attorney General Nick Brown.
2 PM: After another trip off the desk, including some non-protest coverage, we’re back to check in. Traffic cam shows the crowd has dwindled in The Junction; at California/Thistle, a few sign-wavers remain. We have a crew now checking on the gathering that’s scheduled to start right about now at California/Admiral.
2:23 PM: Demonstrators are at the Admiral Junction as planned, on the corners. The next two photos for WSB are by Torin Record-Sand:
Meanwhile, the Alaska Junction crowd has dispersed, though the street-closed barriers aren’t down yet. Here are Dave Gershgorn‘s photos for WSB from there, earlier:
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Members of the Singing Resistance added their songs in The Junction:
3:20 PM: California SW between Alaska and Oregon is open to regular traffic again.
6:52 PM: As noted previously, the peninsula’s largest resistance group, West Seattle Indivisible, went to the citywide rally/march, which started at Cal Anderson Park and ended at Seattle Center. Here’s a photo of some of them with signage reflecting their theme for the day:
We’ve received some other reader photos from today that we’ll add in a bit.
10 PM: Two photos from Jonathan Rawle, who was at the rally in The Junction:
National “No Kings” organizers say eight million people participated in protest gatherings today.
By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The finishing touches are the white stars on the boxing gloves, a star-spangled exclamation point on a 12-foot-tall sculptural puppet that will make its third public appearance at the Seattle No Kings rally at Cal Anderson Park tomorrow. West Seattle sculptor Shannon Ninburg calls her Lady Liberty, and among all of the costumes, signs and expressions of support for America’s democracy that many marchers bring, she looms large and compelling, with a message impossible to miss.
(Ninburg holding Lady Liberty’s right arm at No Kings 2, photo by Colleen Stevens)
“When you’re inside of her or working her arms, she’s so big,” says Ninburg, who walks alongside her during the marches. “Just seeing that and seeing the reflection in a window, it’s so exhilarating to see this huge body taking up space. It’s a visceral excitement that I wasn’t expecting. To see little kids and be able to see their faces filled with awe, it felt really good to be giving them that in this moment.”
This moment is where it all started, months before the first No Kings march in June of last year. “I was just feeling really angry and horrified and scared like so many of us about what I saw happening with our democracy and our government and I was feeling like … helpless. So I just started to think, what can I do? What do I know how to do? I know how to make things, make visual things. How can I use that to express something I want to express?” The answer came in the form of a memory from a trip to Brazil, where puppets in a parade towered over all the people, mesmerizing. “I was just tossing around some thoughts, and then I thought Lady Liberty: She’s mad and she’s fighting. It just felt like an image that would give people some hope and a feeling of agency.” There was only one problem: Ninburg had never built something quite like that before.
“I used to work as a sculptor for the entertainment industry in L.A., so I know how to make large-scale things, but I didn’t know how to make puppets. I did it backward.” That meant starting with the head and aiming to make it lightweight, but realizing it might be too heavy. That’s when she connected with a company in the UK that she found online that makes large-scale puppets and whose director, it turns out, used to live in Seattle. He sent her to the Fremont Arts Council and puppeteer Rob D’Arc. Ninburg describes him as “…a super kind person and he said come on over and then he gave me all these ideas so that it would actually work.”
(Lady Liberty’s debut at No Kings 1, photo by Pat Ninburg)
An engineer friend, Redwood, helped figure out how to distribute the weight so that it didn’t list to one side. He’s also the one who has ended up wearing her in each of the marches. “He’s taller, and he’s game,” Ninburg says. Lady Liberty took a couple of months to complete, with a big push leading up to the first march on June 15. “I was literally sewing up her arms as people were getting in the car.” The reaction was more than Ninburg expected, with lots of support from marchers, and coverage of Lady Liberty on everything from Seattle regional media to The New York Times. The Backbone Campaign, with its own large-scale protest piece, a massive Declaration of Independence created at their Vashon Island headquarters, also gave her a shout-out on their website.
(Lady Liberty on the march, photo by Shannon Ninburg)
Having brought Lady Liberty to two marches so far, Ninburg says the process of building her and seeing the effect she has had on people has surprised her. “I’m someone who doesn’t like a lot of attention, but it was kind of fun because it felt like it wasn’t me — it was her — or the message she was conveying.” While the reasons she wanted to build Lady Liberty have not diminished, Ninburg is feeling hopeful as she plans to load up the car with her again and attend the third No Kings. “I still feel those things, but I feel like for me, in these times we’re in, it is its own act of resistance to create and make other things in the world that aren’t awful. It makes me feel like amidst all this other stuff we can make beautiful or hopeful things as well.”
There are two No Kings marches in downtown Seattle tomorrow. One rally starts at Cal Anderson Park at noon and the other at Colman Dock at 11 am. Both marches converge at Seattle Center in the afternoon, with SDOT warning about traffic impacts from 1-4 pm. For West Seattle plans, see this WSB story.
(WSB photo, June 2025)
This Saturday (March 28), thousands of “No Kings” rallies are planned around the country. In case you’re wondering what’s planned in West Seattle, here’s what we have:
WEST SEATTLE INDIVISIBLE: Our area’s major resistance group is emphasizing the main Seattle rally (Cal Anderson Park, marching to Seattle Center), and last we heard had sold out seats on four buses to take more than 200 people there: “WSI is focusing our attention on the big march downtown, we will have a very visible presence with our ‘we ARE the people’ theme with colorful tall pole signs.” The buses are departing at 11 am.
WEST SEATTLE RESIST: This group that rallies every Sunday at California/Alaska plans to be there 10 am-2 pm on Saturday.
SINGING RESISTANCE: This group sent the following announcement:
Singing Resistance is a movement grounded in love, nonviolence, and solidarity. In the context of escalating violence towards our communities and federal invasions of our cities and towns, we sing because song is an antidote to fear, song helps us connect to each other, and through song we can name and protect what we hold sacred. We sing publicly in the streets for the sake of solace, strength, solidarity, to voice our dissent, and to refuse cooperation with oppressive and autocratic forces.
Join us at the West Seattle Resist: No Kings Day protest in the Alaska Junction
Saturday, March 28th, 2026
Meet at 10 am at Junction Plaza Park, one block EAST of the Junction on SW Alaska St.
We’ll learn and practice songs and then join the larger protest in the Walk All Ways intersection.Anyone with a voice can sing these songs. Bring signs, rhythm instruments, a friend, and your joy!
OLD TYME ADULTS FOR DEMOCRACY: The senior-led group that has protested at Admiral/California will be there 2-3 pm on Saturday.
(Any other “No Kings”-related gatherings in West Seattle on Saturday? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you.)
By Torin Record-Sand
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
In the wake of violence during immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Chicago in recent months, many community groups have stepped up to ask the question: What could we do if it happened here? This was the topic of discussion during the pre-meeting program at the 34th District Democrats‘ March gathering; they invited five community organizers to speak about what they’ve learned from the past few months, and how they can apply it to organizing community-driven non-violent resistance here.
Chief among these organizers was Kenny Austin, who assembled Wednesday night’s panel. He recently created the 34th DDs’ Non-Violent Resistance Committee, which aims to research the best way to conduct such activity in the district. Joining him on the panel were Binh Truong, general manager of fieldwork for Common Power; Emily Gaggia, director of the “adopt-a-corner” campaign for the National Day Laborer Organizing Network; Laurie Reinhardt, co-founder of West Seattle Indivisible; and Devin Hermanson, founder of Defund Musk.
The panel was moderated by veteran Seattle journalist Erica C. Barnett, founder and publisher of online non-profit news publication PubliCola.
The overall question which seemed to hang in the air in back and forth between Barnett and the panelists was the relevance and results of protests by community organizations. One of her first questions regarded what advice the organizers would give for people interested in getting engaged in projects aiming to help people directly targeted by the administration.
(Reader photo, ‘No Kings’ protest in WS Junction in October)
“Sometimes it’s like ‘are we doing anything?’ I’ve read tons of snarky comments on social media etc critiquing No Kings [protest theme], asking what is it really doing? It’s doing so much. I’m the guy that takes emails, I get emails all the time, people saying ‘Wow, I haven’t come out yet, and I’ve been kinda quiet, but I drive by and see you and your signs every week and it gives me hope.’ Sometimes those people come and they stand next to us with their signs, and it’s beautiful. That’s how we build community and give someone a chance to come into it.” said Hermanson.
(WSB photo, January vigil organized by WS Indivisible)
Reinhardt seconded that one of the most important aspects of local activism is a sense of communal belonging. “There are people I call ‘on the couch,’ they are politically motivated, but not inclined to do something. And they are awash in despair, with the flood of what we’re getting every day – but the people I interact with – […] I don’t see that despair among people who are in the movement, we are joyful, we are happy, we are engaged, and united on a very hyper-local level.”
“If there’s one thing I’d add – when I hear some naysayers asking what does a march to do to help people – it shows people you care about them, you support them, especially migrant communities. It’s a powerful message to let people who are afraid know there are people who have their back.” said Austin.
The conversation turned toward the more pressing matters which organizations such as Austin’s are aiming to tackle, such as persistent fears that the Trump Administration may hamper midterm voting in multiple states. Barnett asked the participants what they would do to prevent such a thing.
While a few participants concurred that Washington state voting rights are not as endangered as those in some other states, they still said that there were ways to help, and threats to worry about. A persistent theme was making sure to help neighbors get to voting sites, as well as watch for potential interruption in such sites. (Austin noted the 2024 ballot-box arson in Vancouver, Washington.)
“If you can’t go out of state to [volunteer in organizing for states with worse voting rights], something you can do here is protect your neighbors – if a neighbor is afraid of the polls because of the law enforcement, you can help them get there and look after them.” said Truong.
Barnett closed the panel by asking what was giving the participants hope to push forward in their efforts.
Many of the participants said that simply seeing the community engagement that has come out of recent protests has given them the strength and mental fortitude they need to continue in their work. “One of the things that gives me the most joy and the most hope is to watch large mobilizations actualize […] each time [we go out to protest], the numbers have grown. […] When all you can see is heads in every direction and you’re talking to one another, and you’ve got a common vernacular, common position and perspective on the world today, you can just stand there and feel it – that gives me hope.” said Reinhardt. “If someone asked me a year ago if we were gonna see people out in the streets saying ICE out for good, 3 years ago that wasn’t there, 4 years ago that wasn’t there. [Now, seeing this response], we were dumbfounded, there were many tears shed. That keeps me sane.” said Gaggia.
34TH MEETING, POST-PANEL: After the panel concluded, the 34th conducted their more organization oriented business. These included items such as amendments to the bylaws for special elections, the appointment of a new Precinct Committee Officer (Megan Atchinson), and their future platform for the year. Notably, this last item reflected some of the same concerns that were raised in the panel: A relatively new member of the 34th objected that the platform did not include a section specifically on advocacy for immigrants’ rights. Other members agreed, and their upcoming platform will go back for further revision and deliberation at the next meeting.
They closed with a few announcements. Their upcoming 2026 fundraiser will be taking place at the recently opened White Center HUB on May 30th, between 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Their next organizational meeting will be on April 8th, and will feature tabling from local organizers in the district, organized in association with the West Seattle Joiners. As the next meeting gets closer, you’ll find more information online at 34dems.org.
(WSB photo, March 2025 rally outside WWV Post Office)
Just got word of a rally outside Westwood Village Post Office on Sunday morning. The National Association of Letter Carriers is starting contract talks and planning rallies outside dozens of post offices Sunday. Our tipster explains, “Our union is beginning negotiations for our next contract with USPS. Our branch for the Seattle area is having our rally at the Westwood post office and would love to see folks out supporting our local mail carriers!” (Here’s what the union says it’s “fighting for.”) The rally will be one of seven in our state and is set for 11 am. It’s been eleven months since a rally outside the same post office, attended by more than 100 people, in opposition to feared privatization of the Postal Service.
(WSB photos)
As noted in our daily event list, “pop-up protests” were planned this afternoon at several West Seattle intersections. Above is the group we found at California/Fauntleroy; below, the group that joined the weekly “Mondays with Marjorie” demonstration at 35th/Edmunds, near The Mount (WSB sponsor), whose resident – an almost-daily protester – is the namesake.
West Seattle Indivisible‘s next major planned protest day is during the nationwide action day on Saturday, March 28, bringing back the “No Kings” theme. Other events are on their online calendar.
Sign-waving and marching aren’t the only ways to express concern. How about gathering to pray? Jeannie asked us to announce this nondenominational event that organizers plan to try for the next three Tuesdays to see if people are interested, starting tomorrow (February 10):
So much wrong, so little cardboard.
But our prayers are never wasted. Beginning on Tuesday, February 10th, from 5:30 to 6:30 we will be holding a candlelight prayer vigil at Lady Liberty, a replica of the Statue of Liberty located on Alki Beach. We plan to meet every Tuesday in February and then potentially make it a weekly opportunity.
This will be an interfaith prayer vigil. Anyone who wants to lift our country into God’s light is welcome to join us. Please come ready to respect that we all pray in different ways. We plan to have simple songs, brief reflections, and opportunities for people to share their thoughts. If you have any questions you are welcome to contact jeannietodd97@gmail.com.
ORIGINAL 1 PM REPORT: Thanks for the tip. Local students are among the hundreds gathered for an anti-ICE protest downtown right now; our photo shows part of the crowd outside City Hall. A texter told us this morning that West Seattle High School students planned to walk out; our research showed Chief Sealth International High School students were mentioned as expected participants as well. The photo is by WSB’s Macey Wurm; we’ll add her full report later.
(Added: Reader photo from Paulette)
ADDED 10 PM, FULL REPORT
Story and photos by Macey Wurm
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Organizers of today’s student protest said their goals included keeping ICE out of Seattle, “protecting students from ICE invasion,” and speaking out against killings by federal immigration-enforcement agents, including those of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
The event was organized by ICE Out Seattle Schools and Seattle Student Union, a student-led organization spanning the city. The groups planned the walkout and march in collaboration with students from more than 10 high schools in the Seattle area and announced the event on social media five days in advance.
Their pages included detailed public transportation routes to City Hall for each high school, FAQ’s, a Google form for potential speakers, and a plan to walk out of class at 11:00 a.m. to arrive downtown by noon.
“We felt that it was time for us to take a step and take our power back and advocate for our peers,” a member of Seattle Student Union from Franklin High School said. “As well as the fact that teachers and admin haven’t done anything to make sure the safety of our students is not being targeted and taken away.”
She explained that her organization, founded by students in January 2022, has a lot of experience planning similar events. They have organized to address the overturning of Roe v. Wade being overturned in 2022, to change gun legislation in Washington State, and for the ongoing injustices in Palestine.
Students were packed tightly onto City Hall’s westward facing plaza occupying the entirety of the stairs and upper terrace. The crowd sprawled out across the street to the other side of 4th Ave. A banner was sprawled out stretching several people with “ICE Out of Our Schools” in large letters. Several event organizers held megaphones and led various chants.
At 12:35, the crowd began to file into the street, completely blocking 4th Ave to through traffic; they then turned to march north on 3rd Ave – an unplanned part of the event. The students remained in high spirits, moving at a quick pace until reaching Virginia Ave, where they turned back toward City Hall.
Once assembled back in the plaza, police presence was at the scene, with one car parked at the foot of the plaza, and two others across the street. Speeches from individual students began. An event organizer held the megaphone while each took a turn addressing the audience.
“Even if we are minors, even if we can’t vote, even if it feels like we don’t have a say in politics, protesting is showing up. Showing that we care about what’s happening, that we care about our country, our community,” one speaker said.
Another student expressed her anger at a fellow Franklin High School student’s detainment by ICE yesterday. After speeches concluded, a moment of silence was held for the two teens killed in the Rainier Beach shooting last Friday, and organizers urged protesters to get home safe, as the rally had ended.
Though a large part of the crowd began to file out, one student urged others to continue to rally, saying, “Don’t go back to your schools. Stay here. That’s the whole point!” At this, the remaining group again gathered again, and restarted a march that took them down to the intersection of 1st Ave and Madison. This second march brought heightened energy, a large speaker, and some dancing:
They remained there until around 3:00 p.m. when they eventually dispersed. “It was a beautiful and peaceful protest,” Chief Sealth student Ri (who sent us the dancing video agove) told WSB.
12:27 PM: Thanks to Al for the photos. As previewed here, Alki Bike and Board proprietor Stu Hennessey organized a memorial ride for local riders to pay tribute to Alex Pretti, the community advocate, nurse, and rider killed by federal agents in Minnesota. Al’s photos show that the riders staging near the shop stretched around the corner in both directions, along Admiral and California.
This was one of more than 200 memorial rides planned around the U.S. and beyond.
12:35 PM: Moments after we published this, Al reported in from the end of the ride, and sent this additional photo:
He says the riders numbered almost 200: “Some came from as far as Shoreline, Greenwood, Capitol Hill, and even Lowman Beach!”
(WSB photos unless otherwise credited)
Thanks to everyone who tipped us (mostly via our text hotline, 206-293-6302) about student walkouts as part of today’s “national shutdown” to protest deadly violence during federal immigration enforcement. We mentioned the walkout plans in our ongoing list of shutdown participation and we sent a photographer out to see if they happened.
They did.
Our first three photos are from Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex, where students from Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School (across the street) gathered. On Delridge, smaller groups walked out of Louisa Boren STEM K-8 and gathered along the street:
And students from Madison Middle School headed out to California Avenue SW a few blocks east:
Some walked down Admiral to Alki, as shown in this photo sent by a reader:
According to messages sent by school administrators to families, as well as what our photographer saw, school staffers monitored the walkouts but made it clear participation was a “family choice,” saying classes would continue as usual. Meantime, we’re continuing to update our list of shutdown-related closures, donations, and related notes here.
P.S. Thanks to the students who have sent additional photos – we’ll add a few of those later.
ADDED 7:21 PM: Among what we received from students, an organizer of the Denny walkout sent this video explaining the intent:
3:46 PM: Thanks for the tips about the call for a “national shutdown” on Friday (January 30). Organizers say it’s a call to “stop ICE’s reign of terror” and suggest “No work. No school. No Shopping,” according to nationalshutdown.org, a website for information about the event and its endorsers. According to that website, more than 1,000 organizations in 46 states, including Washington, will be participating. We haven’t heard of any West Seattle gatherings so far, but as of now, at least two West Seattle businesses have announced they’ll be closed on Friday in support of the shutdown, Pegasus Book Exchange and Meeples Games. Any others? We’re still looking around – please let us know and we’ll add.
6:12 PM: Some businesses aren’t closing but are donating part of their proceeds – for example, Easy Street Records, as proprietor Matt Vaughan explained in this comment below. There’s also a regional restaurant fundraiser; we’re trying to get specifics from the local restaurants listed as participating. And we’ve learned of one school that will close tomorrow, Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor).
8:05 PM: West Seattle Grounds (2141 California SW) in North Admiral emailed to say they “will be donating 10% of all sales tomorrow in support of the National Shutdown to the West Seattle Food Bank for all the work they do supporting our most vulnerable population.”
8:25 PM: Per a notice forwarded to us, the Fauntleroy Children’s Center is closing for the day, and the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse will be closed to “public access, walkthroughs, tours.” The notice also says that the individual businesses located at the schoolhouse can choose to stay open and allow client access with their unique door codes.
9:05 PM: From Thunder Road Guitars (WSB sponsor) proprietor Frank Gross, “Friday, January 30th, Thunder Road Guitars will be open. In support of immigrant rights, we will be donating a portion of our entire weekend sales to Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, a local organization providing critical legal services and advocacy for immigrants in our community.” … In The Junction, Maari Falsetto of Inner Alchemy says:
Inner Alchemy will be open tomorrow not for sales, but for community support along with the national shut down movement. We will be open from 12-4 pm and we will be offering:
A 12-minute multi-sensory meditation on the hour (12, 1, 2 and 3 pm).
Sound healing.
Support.
Whatever arises.
10:27 PM: Realfine Coffee locations (2 are in West Seattle) is donating 10 percent on Friday to NW Immigrant Rights Project … Also happening tomorrow and this weekend is a citywide fundraiser by donating part of proceeds, or proceeds from certain menu items, to help Minnesotans. Three West Seattle venues are listed as participating. Driftwood on Alki is donating rockfish sales on Friday to the fundraiser, which was organized by Spice Waala; Admiral bar The Nook is donating 10% of tomorrow’s proceeds to Hennepin Health, a mobile health-care provider based in Minneapolis; Il Nido on Alki is also listed as a participant but we’re still waiting to hear back from them on exactly what they’re doing and when.
ADDED FRIDAY MORNING: Bakery Nouveau says it’s donating 15 percent of its proceeds from all shops, including West Seattle, today, to KIND (Kids in Need of Defense) and NW Immigrant Rights Project.
ADDED FRIDAY MIDDAY: In addition to the school closure mentioned above, we’re getting word of some student walkouts at other schools planned around 1 pm today – so far we’ve heard of Denny IMS and Louisa Boren STEM K-8. … Meantime, thanks for the tips about two more businesses staying open but donating part of their proceeds to immigration-related organizations today, Beveridge Place Pub and Walter’s/Upwell.
ADDED EARLY FRIDAY AFTERNOON: We also got multiple tips that Madison MS admins had sent families word of a student walkout planned there, so we sent a photographer over; he confirmed it, but it was scattered … Meantime, two more businesses open but contributing to immigrant-related causes – The Good Society explains its plan here, and West Seattle Nursery (WSB sponsor) is donating part of its weekend proceeds to NW Immigrant Rights Project.
1:30 PM FRIDAY: We’ve been to three school walkouts – Madison, Louisa Boren STEM, Denny – photos to come. Meantime, another West Seattle business open but donating: Darby Winery says it’s giving 10 percent of today’s proceeds to NWIRP.
ADDED FRIDAY EVENING: We now have details from Il Nido on how they’re participating in the citywide restaurant fundraiser for Minneapolis:
Il Nido will be serving Pinche La Migre as our cocktail for Seattle to Minneapolis With Love. The proceeds (along w/ steak sales tonight) will be going to a restaurant in Minneapolis in support of their protest shutdown.
Pinche La Migre
Mezcal
Cinnamon
(im)Peach
Lime
Habanero
No Ice, serviced up
Earlier we mentioned that Fauntleroy UCC pastor Rev. Leah Atkinson Bilinski was just back from a trip to be Minnesota, where she and other faith leaders from the Northwest had gone to support community members standing against violence and violation of rights by federal agents. The video above, recorded by parishioner LeeAnne Beres, is what the pastor told a downtown Seattle anti-ICE rally this evening about what she saw in Minnesota – and, in one key moment, what she didn’t see.
She also mentions that she and the others were headed home when they learned federal agents had killed Alex Pretti. Meantime, another reader sent word that a rally and vigil in honor of Pretti, a VA nurse, is planned Tuesday night outside the Seattle VA hospital on Beacon Hill.
(First two photos by Macey Wurm)
By Macey Wurm
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Hundreds of protesters gathered at Hiawatha Playfield this afternoon to start West Seattle Indivisible’s “We’re Still Standing” rally and march. The event, in collaboration with activist groups Defund Musk, Evergreen Resistance, 50501, and The Seattle Handmaids, was WS Indivisible’s first major event of 2026.
“We’re Still Standing” was intended to acknowledge a year of resolve under the Trump administration and a resolution to continue standing in resistance. While the event was announced weeks ago, and was not planned as a response to the Minnesota violence involving federal agents and subsequent unrest, this morning’s shooting death of 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti brought a new sense of purpose to the afternoon’s gathering.
“‘We came in today ready to mark the first 365 days of this atrocious administration…and then this morning in Minnesota, there was another killing that happened,” said Laurie Reinhardt, co-director of West Seattle Indivisible. “So that has put us in a head space and heart space where we are committed to nonviolence and peace… it’s demonstrating at the same time that our hearts are hurting.”
Participants pulled their signs from the trunks of cars, and friends greeted each other familiarly. A sign reading “Dance 4 Democracy” drew an assembly of line-dancers. Around 12:30 pm the crowd settled in anticipation of leadership speeches. Among the speakers was Devin Hermanson, founder of Defund Musk.
“This is what real community looks like. It’s people who are bound not by money, but by compassion, care for one another, love for one another, for real community.” Hermanson said to the crowd. “That’s why we’re strong. That’s why they can’t break the people of Minnesota.”
Hermanson was followed by a few additional speakers and some direction on marcher safety, before protesters were invited to grab one of the some-300 signs West Seattle Indivisible members had made for the march itself.
(Photos from here by Dave Gershgorn for WSB)
The crowd took to the sidewalk around 1:00 pm for the 1.4-mile march down California Ave SW to The Junction. Several passersby waved and honked their horns in support, and residents lingered outside their homes to observe the lengthy mass.
One West Seattle local said he had been attending protests such as these since the 1960’s, another simply explained she was in support because she was from Minnesota, accompanied by, “F–k Trump.”
“I am really upset by the events going on in Minnesota, with the way ICE is interacting with regular citizens, not doing what they say their job is, and all the violence and murder they’re instigating.” A third marcher said, “It’s just unacceptable in America.”
The march concluded at the intersection of SW Alaska St and California Ave SW, where photo-ops commenced, and participants were instructed to leave their signs. West Seattle Indivisible announced they will have a presence at University Village next weekend and that they will be participating in rapid-response training on February 6.
1:56 PM: WSB contributing photojournalist Dave Gershgorn just sent that photo of the “We’re Still Standing“ march headed southbound on California SW toward The Junction. Police monitoring the march (SOP for protests) radioed to dispatch a few minutes ago that marchers had passed SW Bradford and so far “minimal traffic disruption.” We’ll have a full report with more photos later.
4:54 PM: Before that report from WSB’s Macey Wurm, which we’ll publish separately later tonight, we’re adding more of Dave Gershgorn’s photos now:
This march/protest was planned weeks ago, but it had an extra edge today after another deadly shooting in Minnesota by an ICE agent.
(WSB photo, November demonstration in The Triangle)
The Seattle Handmaids are expected to be among the participants in West Seattle Indivisible‘s march and rally tomorrow, with the theme “We’re Still Standing,” a reference to the year that has passed since the administration change. They’re gathering at Hiawatha Playfield (2700 California SW) at 12:30 pm and will have a few speeches before marching southbound to The Junction starting around 1 pm, ending at Junction Plaza Park (42nd SW and SW Alaska). WSI – organizing the rally/march along with Evergreen Resistance and 50501 – explains it as: “Against a backdrop of uncertainty and concern for our democracy, participants will assemble not just to protest, but to celebrate resilience.”
A reader sent that photo of Lincoln Park‘s troll Bruun Idun with a small sign of opposition to the Trump Administration’s vow to take over Greenland. You might recall that the troll was installed at the park 2 1/2 years ago by artist Thomas Dambo, who’s from Denmark, the country that governs Greenland as an autonomous territory. The reader tells us the signmaker put similar signs at some of the other Dambo trolls around the area
Back in WSB’s early months in 2007-2008, a comment controversy centered on the repeated rapid removal of once-tolerated banners hung on the foot/bike overpass over the southwest end of the West Seattle Bridge. The person or persons dubbed the “Banner Police” had no mercy, removing even the simplest, cheeriest of signs. Yes, banner-hanging was against city law, and eventually people stopped trying. When they did try, removal was again usually rapid. But not today:
CJ sent that photo,saying that banner (basically Spanish for a phrase seen often in English at protests these days, “F— ICE”) was up for at least six hours – they reported seeing it inbound and outbound, at 8 am and 2 pm. Or maybe at least eight hours – another reader later texted a photo taken 4 pm-ish, showing someone taking it down – whether removing it to reclaim it or removing it to dispose of it, no way to know. (Here are related city rules, by the way.)
As noted in our calendar/event list, the regular Sunday protest by West Seattle Resist at California/Alaska expanded today to incorporate the “ICE Out for Good” of protests nationwide sparked by the shooting death of Renée Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. The traffic-cam screen grab above is from 11 am; watching the live feed, we saw demonstrators standing at corners and along the Farmers’ Market street-closure barricades until the intersection opened periodically for pedestrians, at which time some marched back and forth. About an hour and a half later, we had a photographer there for a bit:
(WSB photos, this and next)
This was a “satellite” protest, as one texter put it, as West Seattle Indivisible was a co-sponsor of what was expected to be the largest demonstration in the city today, at midday at Cal Anderson Park. Meantime, we received some photos of the West Seattle demonstration from local texters, including these:
The protest was scheduled to conclude around 1:30 pm, and the live traffic camera verifies it’s over (as is today’s Farmers’ Market, though California north of Alaska remains closed for market breakdown).
(WSB photos by Torin Record-Sand unless otherwise credited)
The Alki Statue of Liberty once again served tonight as a gathering place in time of national crisis. More than 100 people showed up for a vigil organized by West Seattle Indivisible in the wake of the shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis and Portland.
WSI’s Laurie Reinhardt spoke to the group for a few minutes before they began their silent vigil.
Earlier in the evening, others gathered at Roxbury and Delridge:
The paper chain carried names of people reported to have died in ICE custody:
(Reader photo sent by Genna)
And hours earlier, more than a dozen people joined Marjorie, who protests daily at 35th SW and SW Edmunds:
Four city councilmembers issued news releases today decrying the Minnesota shooting – citywide Councilmembers Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Dionne Foster, as well as district Councilmembers Bob Kettle and Eddie Lin; Mayor Katie Wilson recorded a statement on video, also addressing three reported ICE detentions in North Seattle.
ADDED FRIDAY: District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka‘s office points out that he actually posted a video reaction on Instagram yesterday; it wasn’t mentioned in the council’s news release channel so we weren’t aware of it. It’s now also on YouTube, which doesn’t require a login to view – see it here.
12:38 PM: (corrected) One day after an ICE agent shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis, demonstrations are happening across the nation, and we’ve just learned of two planned in this area tonight. Here’s the announcement sent to us:
West Seattle Indivisible is hosting a gathering tonight (Thursday 1/8) at 7 pm at Alki Beach/Statue of Liberty, a candlelight vigil and protest of the ICE murder of Renee Good in Minneapolis. We cannot allow this outrageous tyranny to continue and we must show up to stand against these egregious abuses of power.
There is also a protest [in] White Center from 5-6 pm at the corner of Roxbury & Delridge.
The Minnesota incident is under investigation. According to local coverage – which includes bystander video of the incident – today’s developments include the disclosure that the agent who killed the woman had been injured last year when he was dragged by a driver.
12:52 PM: We’ve also just learned that some local activists plan to join daily protester Marjorie at 35th and Edmunds 3 pm-3:30 pm today on the same topic.
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