Officers were said to have used flashbang grenades and pepper spray at the scene.
45 protesters were arrested during a Black Lives Matter protest in Seattle this weekend.
Officers and protesters clashed as police say they used non-lethal weapons in order to break up the crowds of demonstrators.
Similar to Portland, Oregon, the unrest in Seattle, Washington prompted President Donald Trump to call in federal agents last Thursday. Local officials and residents were upset by the move.
READ MORE: Wall of veterans protect demonstrators in Portland
The U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington, Brian Moran, said on Friday that federal agents are stationed in Seattle to protect federal properties and the work done in those buildings.
Protesters were said to be arrested in connection with a riot that resulted in a fire. The fire was set at a construction site for a juvenile detention facility and courthouse.
According to the police, the fire was caused by subgroup of protesters who were with the larger group of demonstrators.
Officers were said to have used flashbang grenades and pepper spray at the scene, according to Republic World, but because of the violent intervention, many officers were injured in the process.
“[Twenty-one] officers sustained injuries after being struck by bricks, rocks mortars/other explosives. Most officers were able to return to duty. One was treated at a hospital for a knee injury,” Seattle police tweeted, according to Reuters.
As theGrio previously reported, demonstrators are protesting in response to police brutality, specifically the case of Breonna Taylor who was killed by police officers in March, and George Floyd who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer.
READ MORE: Portland NAACP president: Portland BLM protests have become ‘white spectacle’
In addition to Portland and Seattle, the Trump administration has also sent federal police to Chicago, Kansas City and Albuquerque, all of which were met with opposition by the mayors of each city.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
The post Protesters arrested in Seattle after confrontation with federal agents appeared first on TheGrio.
from TheGrio https://ift.tt/32TgDWl
via Gabe's Musing's