Protesters march through downtown Seattle streets as demonstration turns chaotic

SEATTLE — Hours after President Joe Biden was sworn into office and implored the nation to come together, dozens of protesters gathered Wednesday afternoon in Seattle's Occidental Park for a tense demonstration that included a march through downtown in which a flag was set on fire.

Three people were arrested as of Wednesday evening -- two for property damage after multiple windows were shattered at the William Kenzo Nakamura Courthouse at 6th Avenue and Spring Street and at the Original Starbucks store in Pike Place Market. A woman was also arrested for investigation of assault at 2nd Avenue and Cherry Street.

No injuries have been reported but several buildings were tagged during the event as several Seattle Police Department officers arrived on the scene to help diffuse the situation.

The event started around 4 p.m. with a handful of people who gathered at the park, located at 117 S. Washington Street, before they began marching through downtown Seattle streets about an hour later.

The group made it to 2nd and Spring Streets where they lit the American flag on fire. From there they headed to 5th and Marion Street to an Amazon Go store where they tore down plywood window coverings and broke several windows.

From there, they went to 6th and Spring Streets where one person would be arrested after breaking windows at the William Kenzo Nakamura.

A KOMO News crew reported that people in the group began targeting those who were not in the demonstration and were throwing objects into the street to block motorists. The participants damaged several vehicles in the area before police issued an order for the group to disperse. Members of the group also were chanting as they made their way through downtown streets.

The marchers headed to Freeway Park around 6 p.m., then began marching again west on Pike Street, then turned south. At least one marcher broke a large window at a business on 2nd and Union, police said.

At 6:10 p.m., officers witnessed a woman attacking another person at 2nd and Cherry Street and arrested her for investigation of assault. Police say she kicked an officer during her arrest.

The group returned to Occidental Park and remained until 7 p.m., when they began marching again -- this time through Pike Place Market. Along the way, several in the group vandalized and shattered windows at the Original Starbucks store along Pike Place. One of the vandals was captured and arrested for investigation of burglary and property damage, police said.

As of 7:50 p.m., the protesters were marching through downtown and appeared headed to the Space Needle, which is across the street from KOMO Plaza. Chants about Antifa could be heard as they marched.

Protestors came back to Occidental Park around 9 p.m. and dispersed, police said.

The group was said to have gathered to protest the policies of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and was carrying a banner that said Anti-ICE, but another banner at the scene suggested that the group was also protesting other things, including Biden and police.

Several city business leaders, upset at another round of damaging protests in the city, called on city leaders to denounce those responsible.

"Last night’s violence and destruction in downtown has no place in our city or democracy," read a statement by the CEO's of Visit Seattle, the Downtown Seattle Association and Seattle Metropolitan Chamber as well as the executive director of the Pike Place Market. "Every Seattle elected official should immediately denounce these extremists. Public officials must send a strong message that assaults, hate speech and property crime aren’t welcome in Seattle and those who take part will be held accountable."

In Portland, a J20 protest that railed against Biden and law enforcement while also supporting indigenous peoples, also took place Wednesday afternoon.

The group of roughly 100 people began marching north shortly after 3 p.m. and there were reports that the participants were responsible for damage to Oregon's Democratic Party headquarters building. KATU-TV reported that multiple arrests were made.