West Seattle, Washington
03 Sunday
12:56 PM: Thanks to Lynn Hall for the view from above – those are some of the Peace Peloton riders who left Alki a short time ago. More coverage later.
ADDED 6:15 PM: A few more photos:
Organizer Reginald “Doc” Wilson led the 15-mile ride to the Northwest African American Museum, “in protest of the injustices endured by black, brown, disenfranchised, and underrepresented populations in our city”:
He says he’ll organize other rides this summer. Hundreds showed up today to join this one:
We recorded video as they headed out and will add that when it’s ready. (Added -here it is:)
In the past week, we’ve covered seven peaceful protests in West Seattle, as people here join the call for a more just, equitable country, Today, there are more:
BICYCLE RIDE: Leaving from Alki Bathhouse (60th/Alki) at noon:
Rain or shine; more info here.
JUNCTION PROTEST, AND 2 WAYS TO MARCH TO IT: One group is gathering by Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) at 12:30 pm to walk/march to the 2 pm protest, and another group is gathering at Anytime Fitness (California & College) at 12:30 pm to do the same thing. Or, you can go directly to California/Alaska to participate at 2 pm. The Junction protest is organized by local students:
All organizers remind those who choose to participate – wear your face covering and bring your hand sanitizer! Any other events today or beyond (our ongoing list also has a Monday protest), please let us know!
More peaceful West Seattle protests this afternoon along local streets – first, near Highland Park Improvement Club at 12th/Holden:
(First 5 photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
Not far away, Hate-Free Delridge was also back at 16th/Holden for the second time in three days. And at 8th/Roxbury:
Many honks of support, but our photographer saw one driver yelling that the protesters should “go home.” Brandon said something similar happened at a gathering in Upper Fauntleroy:
Small #BlackLivesMatter protest at 41st and Barton. Bunch of kids here and an old dude drove up really close to us to give the thumbs down. Mostly honks and cheers though. @westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/mT8LmyS6pl
— Brandon Sparks, respected (@BestSeattle77) June 6, 2020
Earlier today, health-care providers knelt outside local facilities for a demonstration dubbed “White Coats for Black Lives.”
SATURDAY: We’re continuing to update this list. There’s now a noon bicycle ride from Alki, and two separate marches from north and south at ~12:30 pm to join the 2 pm Junction protest. Anything else this weekend or beyond? Please let us know – thank you!
(WSB photos)
Planning to participate in upcoming protests? You’re invited to join the group making signs at Walt Hundley Playfield (34th and Myrtle) right now, materials provided.
Above are organizers Taylor and Celia, both high-school seniors. They’re expecting to be there until 6 pm – please wear a face covering and keep your distance!
P.S. Our ongoing list of local protests in the days ahead is here.
(WSB photos)
10:39 AM: Brief but big – enough people to line the block outside Providence Mount St. Vincent joined in “White Coats for Black Lives” less than an hour ago, organized “to raise awareness of racial inequality and police brutality.”
(added) Reader video:
This is the first of several local demonstrations planned today and tomorrow – if you know of any not on our list, please let us know.
ADDED 6:35 PM: Caregivers and providers also participated outside Swedish West Seattle Primary Care:
Thanks to Stephanie Vogtzinn for those photos.
(Added 7:32 pm: Streetcorner demonstration we happened onto in The Junction)
After (update) 4 peaceful demonstrations in the past five days in West Seattle, here’s an update on what’s ahead:
FRIDAY
White Coats for Black Lives – 10 am outside Providence Mount St. Vincent (4831 35th SW), community invited:
We are inviting the broader community of West Seattle to join health care workers at Providence Mount St. Vincent Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. along 35th as we join others across the country in “White Coats 4 Black Lives” demonstrations to raise awareness of racial inequality and police brutality.
We will be kneeling on 35th in front of The Mount for ten minutes and invite anyone who is interested to join us, especially health care workers. Participants are asked to wear masks, bring signs and honor social distancing.
Sign-making – 2-6 pm, a student-organized sign-making event is planned at Walt Hundley Playfield (34th/Myrtle), for use in upcoming demonstrators. All welcome. Materials provided. Face-coverings and distancing urged.
Demonstration – 4 pm, Hate-Free Delridge will again gather at 16th/Holden. This time they’re inviting anyone interested in participating:
Our Wednesday Hate-Free Delridge protest was a joyful horn-honking caucophony of a success. Come join us again –bring your bodies and voices and signs to a peaceful demonstration.
This Friday (June 5)
4 to 6 pm
At 16th Ave. SW and SW Holden St.
(Because of the bridge closure, most of the traffic comes through this intersection.)Hate-Free Delridge will insist on at least 6-foot social distancing and masks.
The institutionalized hunting and killing of Black and Brown men and women must stop. Hate Free Delridge wants to help accelerate institutional change. We will have some banners and signs. We encourage you to bring your own.
Demonstration – 4 pm, 8th/Roxbury – organizers say, “Please bring signs, masks, water, gloves, and your voice!”
(added) Demonstration – 5 pm, Highland Park Improvement Club (12th/Holden)
SATURDAY
(added) Peace Peloton bicycle ride – gather at Alki at noon “to ride and show our support for equality and justice. We will be observing social distancing guidelines during this event. The ride is approximately 10-15 miles (depending on weather) starting from Alki Beach Park and culminating at the Northwest African American Museum.” See flyer here.
(added) Demonstration/March – ~12:30 pm, gather at Beveridge Place Pub in Morgan Junction (6413 California SW) to walk to join in the 2 pm Junction protest
Demonstration/March – ~12:30 pm, gather at California/College in The Admiral District, walking south to join with the 2 pm Junction protest
Demonstration – 2 pm, student-organized, all welcome, at California/Alaska in The Junction.
Anything to add? Please let us know – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
ADDED 12:50 PM FRIDAY: We’ve also received word of a student-organized/led demonstration at West Seattle High School (3000 California SW) at noon Monday (June 8th).
(WSB photos)
6:02 PM: Local anti-racism advocates gathered at 16th/Holden this afternoon for West Seattle’s latest peaceful protest in solidarity with what’s happening coast to coast.
As was the case Tuesday in The Junction, participants spanned a wide age range.
Organizers chose the location for visibility, since Holden is now a major detour route because of the West Seattle Bridge closure.
This group chose not to announce their demonstration publicly in advance. But for those who want to join an organized event, we have heard directly from organizers of two on Saturday afternoon (June 6th): One is a march from Admiral (we’re awaiting the time), gathering at Anytime Fitness (California/College) to join up with the previously announced 2 pm gathering in The Junction at California/Alaska.
ADDED 7:02 PM: More info on the Saturday march from Admiral:
Meet at Anytime Fitness at College/California. 12:30 gather, 1 pm march. Goal is to join up with the protest happening at 2pm at the WS Junction at Admiral.
This is a peaceful march from the Admiral Junction to support our brothers and sisters protesting police brutality and the systems that support the oppression of the black communities in West Seattle and around the world.
Please join us at in the Admiral Junction (exact location will be updated asap) @ 1pm. We’ll peacefully march to the Alaska Junction and join the Seattle Junction BLM Protest https://twitter.com/junctionprotest by 2 pm.
To be very clear: the hosts of this event do not support any destruction or violence towards people or businesses.
We are still in midst of a global pandemic. Please stay home if you are sick or feeling any symptoms of Covid-19. Wear protective gear, bring your signs, and keep safe distance from those not in your family/group.
Three West Seattle sightings:
Above, the portrait is by Desmond Hansen, on the northwest corner of Delridge/Roxbury (thanks to Mike for the tip). Below, a window memorial in Seaview (thanks to Emily for the photo):
And Sarah just tweeted this photo from the Admiral Way Bridge over Fairmount Ravine:
2:12 PM: That small, quiet gathering of people at California/Alaska is all that’s going on in The Junction right now. Rumors of something more turbulent were circulating on social media today but were unfounded.
2:22 PM: Our crew’s still there, as is the small group, walking across All-Ways with the signal (as did a group during the street-corner demonstrations on Saturday afternoon). For those who have asked, there have been many rumors of other protest times/places but so far we haven’t seen any credible actual announcements.
2:56 PM: A few more people have shown up, according to scanner traffic, estimating about two dozen people. We just looked at the live traffic camera – same group that we saw. Adding photos from our crew, including a passerby expressing appreciation:
3:40 PM: Still checking the camera. About a dozen people still walking back and forth across Walk All Ways.
4:02 PM: As we noted in comments, the mayor is speaking at 4:15 pm. We’ll cover that separately. (Added: That’s been delayed – 4:35 pm and it hasn’t started yet, but we’ll publish a separate story as soon as it does. … Update, mayor now delayed until 5:30 pm.)
6:02 PM: We’re covering the mayor’s remarks separately. Meantime, we’ve heard from students who are organizing a 2 pm protest in The Junction on Saturday (June 6), the next confirmed event we know of.
7:35 PM: We drove back through The Junction a few minutes ago; still several demonstrators in Walk All Ways.
4:36 PM: Live via Seattle Channel above, another briefing for the mayor, and this time she’s joined by Gov. Inslee and “community and faith leaders to discuss the escalated incidents this weekend and the continued importance of seeking justice for George Floyd.” Meantime, crowds are again gathered downtown, and the second night of a citywide curfew order is slated to take effect at 5 pm (as an AlertSeattle bulletin just reminded everyone subscribed to that service).
4:43 PM: So far no new information. The mayor turns over the mic to the governor, and says he will be followed by Seattle Central College president Dr. Sheila Edwards Lange. Inslee stresses that the “important message (of the protests)” must not “be obscured” by the destruction that followed. He adds, “We have so much more to do to root out the inequities in our society.”
Dr. Lange says she hesitated to accept the invitation because she is “tired … angry … grieving.” She speaks of the protests’ message earlier in the day – and then seeing “mostly white men … with huge backpacks” who were not there to hear “the message of hope.” What can allies do? “Join us” in fighting for justice, for equity, and more. She is followed by Dr. Rev. Carey Anderson, pastor of Seattle’s First African Methodist Episcopal Church. He too speaks of the hopes and dreams expressed yesterday, and of the “pandemic of racism … that we must come to grips with.”
He is followed by Andre Taylor, founder of Not This Time. He tells his “story of redemption” and implores others to take hope from it – “When I am here, you are here as well … we all have a lot of work to do.”
5:02 PM: On to Q&A. Asked what proof the city has so far that the destructive agitators were from elsewhere, the mayor cites none, instead saying, “wherever they were from,” they came with a different agenda. Then, a question about the protests under way downtown right now – what will the police do differently? SPD Chief Carmen Best says they’re working to “manage” the crowd of about 1,000 people and that they “fully intend to enforce” the curfew that just took effect, working on a strategy right now.
Dr. Rev. Anderson says they’re having a prayer vigil at noon Monday at his church – with social distancing – all welcome. (1522 14th Ave.)
No numbers on arrests or injuries; the mayor notes that there were “no significant injuries.”
Asked why a citywide curfew, the mayor says among other things it provides a lawful basis to ask people to disperse. She also notes that the stay-home order remains in effect (without noting that it expires at midnight, five hours before the curfew ends). Will the curfew be extended beyond tonight? The mayor said they’ll be evaluating it after tonight. … The event wraps at 5:30 pm. When archived video is available, we will add it above in place of the live SC window. (added 8:10 pm – added).
(35th/Dawson – photo sent by Gregory Dean)
In contrast to the protest downtown, in West Seattle this afternoon, anti-racism demonstrators stood quietly in the rain on multiple street corners:
(WSB photos from here down; California/Myrtle)
Thanks to Jena for the last-minute tip about this, organized on social media as “a peaceful show of support for our black and brown community” as anti-racism protests continue nationwide in the wake of the Minneapolis killing of George Floyd.
(35th/Myrtle)
One group walked the all-ways crossing in The Junction:
(California/Alaska)
On one of those corners, the Easy Street marquee has displayed George Floyd’s name for at least 3 days – we tweeted this photo on Thursday:
Lots of questions about the helicopter activity over The Junction. As we’ve answered everyone who messaged us, it’s just TV, checking out the anti-war demonstration (which we previewed here last night). So far not the size of last month’s pro-impeachment rally but participants are following the same pattern as that one, walking with the light in the Walk-All-Ways crosswalk at California/Alaska, so no traffic impacts.
For the second time in less than a month, a nationwide day of protest will include a demonstration in the West Seattle Junction. Activists say they will rally at California/Alaska at 5 pm Thursday to protest the U.S. killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and the prospect of war with Iran. The announcement says the demonstration’s intent is to “urge restraint and that the United States avoid yet another unnecessary, costly war of choice in the Middle East.”
7:27 PM: For the second consecutive Friday night, Garfield High School is the visiting opponent at Southwest Athletic Complex in West Seattle. And again before the game, its team and cheerleaders (in foreground of second photo below) knelt during the pre-game anthem:
No players from this week’s home team, Chief Sealth International High School, players joined in tonight (last week, seven West Seattle HS players did), though one person on the sidelines with them knelt:
Garfield’s team issued a statement this week to clarify the intent of its protest, which the team says it will continue at each game this season. We obtained the statement through GHS:
Recently Garfield High School’s football team took a knee at an evening game. In an effort to clarify their position and better articulate the thought behind it, Garfield’s Football Team held an inclusive meeting … to put the team’s position into writing.
Garfield Football Team – We have increasingly heavy hearts over various issues that have been escalating in the media.
Many of us have been touched in some way in our own personal lives by racism, segregation and bias.
Through a series of open, honest and supportive conversations we have reached a team consensus and understanding.
We have unanimously decided to take a position as a team and work towards a better future together. We are going to demonstrate this decision through taking a knee at our games.
We are asking for the community and our leaders to step forward to meet with us and engage in honest dialogue. It is our hope that out of these potentially uncomfortable conversations positive, impactful change will be created.
At this time, the Garfield High School Football Team is especially concerned with the following:
1. Equality for all regardless of race, gender, class, social standing and/or sexual orientation – both in and out of the classroom as well as the community.
2. Increase of unity within the community. Changing the way the media portrays crime. White people are typically given justification while other minorities are seen as thugs, etc.
3. Academic equality for students. Certain schools offer programs/tracks that are not available at all schools or to all students within that school. Better opportunities for students who don’t have parental or financial support is needed. For example, not everyone can afford Advanced Placement (AP) testing fees and those who are unable to pay those fees, are often not encouraged to enroll into those programs. Additionally, the academic investment doesn’t always stay within the community.
4. Lack of adequate training for teachers to interact effectively with all students. Example, “Why is my passion mistaken for aggression?” “Why when I get an A on a test, does the teacher tell me, ‘Wow, I didn’t know you could pull that off.’”
5. Segregation through classism.
6. Getting others to see that institutional racism does exist in our community, city, state, etc.
In an effort to find solutions and create impactful change, Garfield Football is stepping forward as leaders within the Garfield Community and Seattle. As a first step towards finding solutions, Garfield Football will be pursuing the following:
1. Meetings with the local police leaders to share personal experiences and hear from officers and leaders on what their experience is and what changes we might be able to work together on.
2. Meetings with students in classes where diversity is lacking. Speaking at assemblies and with local youth groups and/or programs.
3. Meetings with school staff to include teachers and administration. Embarking on open dialogue about what triggers the negative experiences and interactions.
Garfield Football has set a course of action and we will see it through. Together United and Garfield Strong. Our Garfield Football mandate is TOP. Totally Optimizing Potential and we will demonstrate TOP both on the field and off.
The game is under way now at SWAC and we will report on it separately after it’s over.
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