Hundreds of protesters filled Seattle’s City Hall late Tuesday night
Hundreds of protesters marched into Seattle’s City Hall late Tuesday after a member of the City Council called for the resignation or impeachment of Mayor Jenny Durkan, CNN affiliate KIRO reported.
The event appeared to be peaceful. Protesters left the building around 10:30 p.m. local time, and Seattle Police did not report any arrests.
The councilwoman who led the protesters on their march before they entered the building, Kshama Sawant, began calling for Durkan to step down after police continued to use tear gas to disperse protesters, despite Durkan announcing a 30-day ban on the substance’s use. Sawant has also called for the city to defund the police.
Just got maced and gassed with hundreds others by Seattle police on 11th & Pine. With no provocation. All the movement was demanding was: Let us march!
Shameful violence under Mayor Durkan. And the 30-day tear gas pause is totally meaningless.
Durkan Must Go. #DefundPolice pic.twitter.com/GNtvtjuMAU
— Kshama Sawant (@cmkshama) June 8, 2020
In a statement to CNN affiliate KOMO, Durkan’s office said the mayor “will not be distracted from the critical work that needs to be done at a moment that Seattle is facing its most challenging time in its history.”
“The disparities, health, and economic impacts of the pandemic are an unprecedented challenge. Now we are faced with the pain and trauma relating to the murder of Mr. Floyd and the generations of systemic racism in our city and country that rightfully need to be addressed not through words but action,” the statement read.
