Protestors plan Saturday rally against police brutality at 23rd and Union

Protestors demanding the resignation of SPD Chief John Diaz are holding a rally at 23rd and Union Saturday protesting police misconduct. The rally, organized by members of Occupy Seattle, starts at 4 p.m., and will end with a march to the East Precinct, according to the Facebook event:


Join us for a speakout and rally at 23rd and Union. Speak about our experiences with police brutality, murder, and harassment.

We will light torches to symbolize holding in honor of our dead, killed by the police.

We’ll march to the East Precinct make clear our inten

tion: Chief Diaz’s resignation and the prosecution of the officers who are repeat offenders of excessive use of force.

Bring signs, your passion, and determination.

Members of Occupy Seattle have independently organized this action.

Defend the 99%: Bring Diaz Down!

The rally, which had been previously scheduled, comes just days after people squatting in an unfinished 23rd and Alder duplex were evicted by the King County Sheriff and Seattle Police. There were no arrests in the January 11 early morning raid.

A court ordered the eviction, which came nearly two months after a group of protesters publicly staked claim to the building. As the eviction deadline neared for the house, dubbed Turritopsis Nutricula, residents held an eviction party in which people painted the front of the house with slogans and messages, many of which were anti-police.

Taken January 10, one day before the eviction

 

Occupy Seattle released a statement denouncing the raid:

SPD officers raided Turritopsis Nutricula, named after the immortal jellyfish, this morning at approximately 4:15AM by sawing off front door hinges and breaking in the front door. They pointed two shotguns at nonviolent occupants who offered no resistance. Officers forced the occupants to leave without their possessions. Cell phones, sleeping bags and most personal belongings were later dumped on the sidewalk outside. SPD then began a misinformation campaign against the Turritopsis Nutricula occupants and supporters.

In response to the claims that the owner ordered the eviction of a house being remodeled: Turritopsis Nutricula has been vacant since 2006 and left unfinished after remodeling attempts in 2009. The owner of the building had allowed the occupants to stay in the home until being threatened by the city with fines from $100 to $1000 per day. The city of Seattle forced the eviction of the residents, not the owner.

17 thoughts on “Protestors plan Saturday rally against police brutality at 23rd and Union

  1. I hung out with pseudo-anarchists like this for a few months twenty years ago but quickly left because they cast such a bad image upon themselves. Congrats, you self-important morons, you haven’t changed a bit.

    Some of you have spoken of how you’d improve the property where you were squatting, including on this forum – anybody with brains and even a modicum of experience saw through that. The place looks awful, you suck.

  2. the moron that let them occupy the house in the first place. If you are not going to do anything with the house do something productive with it. Can’t sit on the sidelines all your life. God forbid you sell the place. Oh, you are waiting till its worth lots of money so you can sit on your ass like you are right now.

  3. The house and neighborhood look worse because of the garbage graffiti sprayed by these preaching, self-righteous jerks

  4. I agree. Maybe if they had improved the house as they claimed they were trying to do they might have been allowed to stay a while. As it sits now it looks worse than ever. Tagging up the neighborhood didn’t help their cause on bit either. The real occupy movement needs to publicly disavow these crusties before they take down the whole movement.

  5. First of all, I totally agree that Diaz should GO!

    But, I am curious about the quote from the Facebook event, “We will light torches to symbolize holding in honor of OUR dead, killed by the police.” Just how many occupy protesters have SPD killed?

    Police brutality has been an issue for this community for a long, long time. I hope that OS involvement does not make it harder for the community to solve this problem. It seems that in other cities OWS groups have made themselves useful by trying to help homeowners who are about to be evicted work with banks. Perhaps OS should concentrate on something positive like that and build up some credibility with the community before you assume that you can speak for us.

  6. Telling the anarchists to be productive is futile. Everybody says that, and everybody watches as they do the same destructive garbage over and over and over again. They can’t stop their own cycles of promises, failures, and lashing out. Your suggestion is pointless with these losers.

  7. …the local occupy movement has lost so much public support. As soon as they moved from downtown to CapHill it was obvious the focus would be immediately lost as it devolved into the same kind of ragtag group as frequents every other generic Seattle protest and anarchist groups. The disgraceful mess they left the squatted house in just furthers the impression that everyone has started cementing for them anyway.

    Not saying police brutality is not a problem. But it’s not an Occupy Wall Street problem. Now that you’ve watered down the Occupy movement to encompass just about any random issue that (theoretically) needs to be protested, the focus is shot. Public support is not far behind.

  8. The anarchists are complaining that the authorities took their ‘possessions’? Is that like private property? Oh never mind. I know you losers don’t get it.

  9. Where are all the fabulous improvements to the building (graffiti and feces and spoiled food) promised by the endless poster Lucas Carter on this blog? Hmmmmm?

  10. too busy with school to respond with anything thoughtful. the short answer is that I overestimated the organizing capacity of these folks.. I assumed they would do more community outreach and practical organizing. nonetheless, the anger directed at them doesn’t really make sense. homeless people need houses too, and considering that they banned drug use altogether, I’m surprised that people are so upset about a squat..

  11. “too busy with school to respond with anything thoughtful. the short answer is that I overestimated the organizing capacity of these folks.. “

    Which is precisely how the extremist nutjobs were allowed to take the helm in Nazi Germany, the USSR or Maoist China. 90% of people are easily lulled by nice words and pancake makeup. It’s been proven again and again in psychology and sociology studies. Which is why the only solution is less government, not more.

  12. Less government, really? It’s that simple right? So then what was all this bailout stuff about? TARP? Honestly, get your story right when spewing bullshit rhetoric you hear from idiots in the GOP. If they actually practiced what they preached then we wouldn’t have these massive banks nor would we have GM and a number of other companies the right and left decided to bail out. Clueless.

  13. another reason i hope it dumps tomorrow – i hope lots of cold, wet snow will keep the rabble from clogging the streets. next time picket Magnolia or Freemont, please.

  14. Nobody disputes that homeless people have needs, nor that homelessness is not being adequately addressed.

    I think people are put-off by generic rag-tag anarchists spewing bullshit platitudes and promising “direct action” and “community outreach”. Everyone knows fully well it’s just the same anarchist/layabouts looking for cover for their usual uselessness, unfocused “rage”, and trouble-making.

    That’s why nobody believed it from the start, and nobody’s surprised that things have turned out the way they have.

  15. If you haven’t noticed there’s many a homeless families living in the CD. What can you do to help out your fellow neighbor?