For the last two days there have been MASSIVE rapid protests in Seattle.
On the buses and trains I keep hearing the same conversation over and over as two friends run into each other on transit heading to the protests: "oh well this is my second protest ever, my first one was last week".
There's a TON of energy out there, just a question of finding the right ways to keep the pressure up on ICE locally.
📸 PSL.Seattle via IG
@nullagent I'm cautiously optimistic this gives Wilson the coverage to fire SPD leadership as needed. It's fairly unambiguous directives.
It'd be delightful if she could just clean house and re-build from the ground up, but that's probably not realistic. Anyone taking the leadership position knowing that you're going to get canned if you play MAGA does at least push the department in a less fascist direction.
I feel the optimism too. I at least feel its unlikely we will have to threaten Wilson with recall to get her to exercise basic oversight of the cops.
I think either way this goes Wilson has a solid chance to build the political capital to improve the police contract next time around so we can actually do future police reforms.
And of course the very next day the Seattle police union put out an aggressive statement indicating that they have no plans to actually support anyone oppressed by or protesting ICE.
They even cast shade on the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
You can typically count on SPOG to lead a work stoppage in protest at some point. They're also likely to sue in court (to delay) anytime they are told to do something they don't like.
#Seattle #MikeSloan #SPD #ACAB #PNW #SPOG #ReneeGood #AlexPretti
@nullagent no 👏 unions 👏 for 👏 pigs 👏
And I again repeat for anyone who missed the last 6yrs of SPD going-ons
1. They had the MOST cops at Jan 6 of any PD
2. They regularly abandon their posts. Most notably in 2020 and again several times since resulting in actual deaths bc they refused to respond to calls.
3. They actively destroyed evidence of #2
4. They sued to block disclosure of #1 for years
5. The prez of the cop union was photographed with top CBP and ICE officials in Jan 2025 being VERY friendly.
@Hex @nullagent I'm going to guess that bridgeburners works or worked with @divestspd
@MHowell @nullagent @divestspd they predated divest by a few years, as best I know.
Edit: but yes, I expect there's some overlap in membership. There's definitely also a thread of continuity between the two.
There's been a long line of folks fighting this fight going back a few decades:
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/man-sues-says-spd-conceals-dash-cam-videos/
I was personally able to track an ICE abduction to locations under SPD owned surveillance cameras back in the fall.
This was a very cold case, heard about it from the guy's neighbor. Dude was a bartender and got snatched by ICE walking home from work at 3am. There were no known witnesses.
I retraced his steps and found there were SEVERAL SPD cameras which may have captured this young man's after work abduction.
By the time I got info his family he was finally located out of WA in ICE custody.
The man had been missing (and feared snatched by ICE) for weeks.
The family had no information, no witnesses guy just vanished.
Now the city of Seattle said these cameras were meant to protect us.
Well I hope Mayor Wilson does make good on these sorts of data requests bc back in the fall there was no timely manor to get that footage (if it existed).
This is closure and evidence for families that can help them reunite more quickly or mount legal defense.
The city could be helping more.
Here's the Seattle Police's own map of their warrant-less surveillance camera network.
If you, a loved one, neighbor or even frenemy are illegally stopped by ICE in these marked areas you should write to Mayor Katie Wilson and demand her office facilitate evidence gathering.
IF WE the people of Seattle have to be watched all the time by the cops in certain areas SO should ICE.
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/483fdf81c01c4fa9977b38fb7649615e
