All lanes of I-5 are closed in Seattle due to protesters walking on the freeway. Mayor Jenny Durkan is imposing a 5 p.m. curfew to disperse the crowds.
All lanes of I-5 are closed between SR 520 and I-90 in downtown Seattle due to protesters walking on the freeway.
Drivers should be aware and expect delays if traveling downtown or try to avoid the area.
Tweets from WSP Seattle #BreakingTrafficAlert. @wastatepatrol troopers are currently in the process of closing SB I-5 to Union due to the protest and to insure safety for all. #Closure. @wastatepatrol closing I-5 northbound and southbound between 520 and I-90. Avoid the area!
People are marching in downtown Seattle following the death of George Floyd, a black man killed in Minneapolis Monday night while in police custody. The protests started out peaceful Saturday afternoon at Seattle Police Department headquarters, but things escalated when the protesters marched to Westlake Center for a rally.
Several Seattle police vehicles have been set on fire at 5th Ave. and Pine Street. The Seattle Fire Department is working to respond to put out the flames.
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan says the city will be imposing a 5 p.m. curfew due to the protests getting out of hand.
Police have had to use pepper spray and other methods to disperse the large crowds downtown. The crowds eventually made their way onto I-5, where they are blocking traffic.
Seattle police say multiple protesters have been arrested.
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan is expected to give a press conference at 6 p.m
Governor Jay Inslee issued a statement regarding the protests, saying he respects the right of all to gather peacefully but that destruction would not be tolerated.
"As people gather today to protest the unjust death of George Floyd, I hope they do so peacefully and safely. Everyone has the freedom - and the right - to demonstrate and speak their mind. However, violence and destruction have no place in Washington state or our country," said Gov. Inslee in his statement.
"Together, we grieve for the death of George Floyd, and many, many others. The events in Minnesota and across the nation the past few nights have been stunning and illustrate how inequity causes people to lose faith in their public institutions. The trauma inflicted on generations of people of color must be acknowledged, and more must be done to correct it. Feeling second-class in one’s own community does not make people feel safe. Insecurity hardens into anger.
Comments