Winter of discontent: Protesters in Seattle barricade a police precinct with SNOW to stop patrol cars getting out
- Protesters in Seattle blocked a police precinct with snow on Saturday night
- They created a ramp three feet high outside the East Precinct building
- The East Precinct was the epicenter of violent protest over the summer
- Officers scuffled with the demonstrators after the police complained about it
- The Washington state city saw up to a foot of snow fall overnight on Friday
A police precinct in Seattle was blocked by a three foot ramp made out of snow on Saturday night, blocking the officers’ vehicles from getting in and out of the building.
Around a dozen demonstrators gathered outside the East Precinct, cheering as the police vehicles struggled to get over the ramp.
The East Precinct was the epicenter of anti-police protest this summer. From June 8 until July 1 the building was abandoned, and the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) sprung up around it. CHOP was forced out on July 1.
On August 24 a man from Alaska tried to set fire to the East Precinct, and was charged with arson.
A month later molotov cocktails were thrown at the building by rioters.
‘Antifa goons blocked the exit of the East Precinct with a pile of snow tonight, in an effort to stop vehicles from responding to emergency calls,’ said one person, posting a picture on Instagram.
Demonstrators in Seattle on Saturday night blocked the exit of the East Precinct with snow
Seattle saw a foot of snow fall overnight on Friday and by Saturday it was thick on the ground
As the patrol car tried to leave the precinct, and was blocked by the ramp, protesters could be seen jumping up and down and celebrating, hurling snowballs at the vehicle.
Police officers came outside the precinct and began shoveling the snow away from the exit.
‘You cannot block police from exiting a police vehicle precinct,’ an officer can be heard saying on one Instagram video.
Protesters told police they were having a snowball fight.
Police confronted protesters outside the precinct as they came out to shovel the snow
Officers brought shovels to clear the snow from their precinct
As the officers began shoveling the snow, those gathered outside chanted: ‘Peaceful protest’
As the police began moving people away, to start shoveling the snow, one demonstrator said: ‘cops are being aggressive and violating people’s rights.’
Small scuffles ensued, as the police shoveled the snow and protesters chanted: ‘Peaceful protest’.
Seattle police department has not commented on the incident.