Washington State Patrol to recommend charges for protesters who blocked I-5 for hours
SEATTLE — Nearly a month after hundreds of protesters demanding a cease-fire in Gaza forced the closure of I-5 through Seattle, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) is completing its investigation and preparing charging referrals for six individuals. The WSP is continuing to investigate 10 other people involved in the protest.
Chris Loftis, communications director for WSP, told KOMO News detectives are working on charging documents Monday that will be turned over later this week to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office for final review and and an ultimate charging decision.
Detectives said they have reviewed hundreds of hours of social media and video footage since the Jan. 6 protest that disrupted the afternoon commute through downtown. The WSP noted shortly after the incident that the most likely charge in these types of scenarios would be disorderly conduct, which is a misdemeanor.
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Loftis, in an email to KOMO News, acknowledged a disorderly conduct charge could be an "unsatisfying resolution for those seeking more serious charges given the significant disruption caused. But we must consider (and should only consider) all applicable laws."
A few hundred protesters blocked the northbound lanes of I-5 near Pine Street in downtown Seattle on Jan. 6 rendering that portion of the highway impassible for approximately five hours. Other protesters marched onto the overpass above the interstate and rallied there for hours.
Reopening the interstate was further delayed when the protesters finally walked off I-5 and left about a dozen parked cars behind. Law enforcement had to bring in bomb sniffing dogs before towing the vehicles. In addition, there were eight individuals who chained themselves together in what's known as a "sleeping dragon device," which the WSP said is designed to hinder responders as they require safe extraction that can only be done in a controlled environment and not during an active protest.
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The WSP had to activate its "Cut Team" to effectively dislodge the protesters bound together.
At the time, the WSP said its troopers along with Seattle police and the Washington State Dept. of Transportation put resources in place "as quickly as possible" and eventually the situation was "peacefully resolved."
But some motorists were outraged by the hours-long delay and others were even more frustrated that no arrests were made as a result of the disruption.
"Disruptions of this type go beyond inconvenience as avenues of medical, emergency care, and response are also affected and can have life-impacting results for the public," the WSP said in a Jan. 8 statement responding to questions regarding the handling of the protest. "That is why disruptive protests on our highways is illegal and not allowed."
The WSP went on to say it received "one unverifiable report on Friday night about a potential freeway closure, but didn't know who was involved, the time or place." The agency said it developed a contingency plan that prioritized public safety.
Following criticism on how the agency handled the situation, the WSP noted in the above mentioned release, the difficulty in taking large groups into custody at the same time and the potential to turn an otherwise peaceful event violent. In its response, the WSP said the initial crowd size required troopers to immediately call for additional resources before making direct contact with the protesters.
"We respect and protect people’s constitutional rights to freedom of speech, expression, and assembly on a daily basis," said WSP Chief John Batiste. "However, as we have said repeatedly, the freeway system is not a safe or legal place to exercise those rights. Our folks did the best they could with the tools, resources, and personnel they had available and used the time needed to resolve this situation peacefully."
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The WSP chief also emphasized, at the time, that although no physical arrests were made that day, it does not mean charges won't be referred or that those involved won't be held accountable.
"There should be no confusion: the WSP was willing and fully prepared to make arrests had the situation not resolved itself,," WSP said in its release. "The crowd size necessitated waiting for the additional resources to ensure the safest possible outcome of a potentially mass arrest incident."
Loftis reiterated that message in his email to KOMO News Monday, saying:
Our interstates are designed for one thing and one thing only – the safe and efficient transportation of people, goods, and services at freeway speed. Anyone who attempts to use them for their own and other purposes are placing themselves, the traveling public, emergency responders and our commerce and recreational systems in peril. It is far more than an inconvenience. It is a misguided, selfish and dangerous threat to public safety. WSP will not tolerate it and will always respond in the manner that most safely and most quickly resolves the situation and reduces the danger to the public, to emergency responders and to protestors alike.