2 days ago
Seattle protests to target UW, ICE raids, Trump-era policies
The Brief
Demonstrators are demanding the University of Washington drop suspensions and sever ties with Boeing over its military contracts.
Activists plan to rally against immigration enforcement and in solidarity with recent protests in Los Angeles.
'NO KINGS' protest: A national day of action will see local protests against what organizers call authoritarianism under Trump.
SEATTLE - Protesters in Seattle are staging multiple demonstrations this week over issues ranging from opposition to immigration enforcement — and what organizers call rising authoritarianism under the Trump administration — to the University of Washington's ties to Boeing and its response to a pro-Palestine campus protest.
Some of the rallies are being held in solidarity with recent unrest in Los Angeles, where clashes over ICE enforcement turned violent and prompted a response from the National Guard and Marine Corps.
Keep reading for a full list of planned Seattle protests scheduled this week.
A rally is set for Tuesday in Seattle's University District, nearly a month after the same group's takeover of a University of Washington building led to more than 30 arrests.
Protesters are calling on the university to lift its suspensions, drop criminal charges related to the May 5 protest and cut ties with Boeing.
The group, Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return (SUPER UW), said UW students and Seattle community members are expected to rally at the U District light rail station at 5:30 p.m.
The backstory
On May 5, Super UW protesters protested in opposition to the new Interdisciplinary Engineering Building, which was funded in part by Boeing. The group said it demanded the university cut ties with Boeing due to the company's military contracts with Israel. The protesters caused around $1 million in damage to the building and the equipment inside, in addition to setting fire to dumpsters outside.
As a result, 33 people were arrested, and 23 students were later suspended, according to organizers.
What they're saying
"Despite more than 600 days of genocide against Palestinians, including the killing of Palestinian engineering student Sha'ban Al-Dalou during Israel's relentless bombing on Al-Aqsa hospital, UW continues to partner with weapons manufacturer Boeing," SUPER UW wrote in the press release. "Boeing supplied the most guided bombs and munitions delivered to Israel of any U.S. company from 2021-2023, and their weapons have been documented being used to commit numerous atrocities and war crimes."
Organizers of Tuesday's protest say the university's response, including emergency suspensions, evictions and job losses, violates due process and is part of a broader crackdown on pro-Palestine activism, including alleged FBI attempts to infiltrate the group.
An anti-ICE rally is set for Wednesday at Seattle's Cal Anderson Park, calling on the federal government to stop the deportations conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Organizers say the protest, expected to kick off at 7 p.m., is to stand in solidarity with protesters in Los Angeles, and defend the right of immigrants to protest. The press release stated, "The Party of Socialism and Liberation (PSL) is calling on Antifa to invade Seattle on Wednesday."
What they're saying
"The people of Los Angeles and surrounding areas have taken a courageous stand against Trump's reign of terror targeting immigrant families," wrote PSL in an Instagram post. "In response, the administration has falsely labeled those taking to the streets in protest of the brutal war on immigrants as "rioters" and called in thousands of National Guard soldiers for a crackdown.
But we cannot let this repression intimidate us. For those who believe in immigrant rights, for those who believe in democracy, for the entire working class - now is the time to take to the streets in protest!"
Major anti-President Trump protests are being held this Saturday across the U.S., including in Seattle and around Washington.
"NO KINGS" local demonstrations take aim at "increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption," and assert have been perpetrated by the Trump administration.
A national day of action is scheduled for Saturday, June 14 — President Trump's birthday — and will run counter to Trump's military parade planned in Washington, D.C.
What they're saying
"In America, we don't put up with would-be kings. NO KINGS is a national day of action and mass mobilization in response to increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his allies," read a statement from NO KINGS organizers. "We've watched as they've cracked down on free speech, detained people for their political views, threatened to deport American citizens, and defied the courts. They've done this all while continuing to serve and enrich their billionaire allies."
A protest will take place at the University of Washington's Red Square.
A second protest is planned at Cal Anderson Park in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
In addition to the "NO KINGS" protest at Seattle's Cal Anderson Park on Saturday, similar protests are scheduled in Everett, Tacoma, Olympia and all across the state, including Vancouver and Spokane.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Source
Information in this story comes from SUPER UW, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, "NO KINGS" demonstration organizers and original reporting from FOX 13 Seattle.
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