Seattle City Wire

After riots rocked the area on the previous weekend when thousands of people had gathered in downtown Seattle in the rain to protest the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, Seattle was left looted and set ablaze. 

"While most of those protests were peaceful, there have been isolated but significant events of violence and destruction. This temporary curfew is intended to preserve the health and safety of our residents by keeping our streets safe and accessible for essential workers and first responders and preventing the further spread of COVID-19,” Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan told Q13 Fox. 

Durkan ordered a 5 p.m. curfew on May 30, Q13 Fox reported. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee activated the National Guard to help Durkan in the wake of rioting, vandalism and the burning of police vehicles, along with protesters marching on Interstate 5. 

Inslee dispatched 400 National Guard troops to assist the police. But what had been a peaceful demonstration turned violent over the May 30 weekend, Q13 Fox reported.

"Due to the actions of some groups who wanted to take advantage of this situation – what started peacefully around noon, became violent and destructive around 2:40 p.m.," Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best told Q13 Fox. "At that time, officers began being assaulted with rocks, bottles and other projectiles. At 2:38 p.m. the first dispersal order was issued as the demonstration became unlawful and then a riot.  Offenders were throwing and using incendiary devices including Molotov cocktails. These devices quickly ignited several city and private vehicles."

The Washington State Patrol temporarily closed both directions of Interstate 5 through the city between Interstate 90 and Highway 520 as the protesters marched through the lanes of the freeway.