- Kelly O
- More than 100 city employees walked off the job for 30 minutes today to call for increased police accountability.
More than 100 people attended a 30-minute walkout at City Hall today to call for increased police accountability and to speak out against police brutality nationwide. The event was organized by Seattle Stands, a new coalition of members of city employee groups, including the City Light Black Employees Association, the Citywide Black Caucus, City of Seattle Native American Employees, and SEqual, an employee group advocating for LGBTQ equality.
The group stood on the steps of City Hall facing 4th Avenue, and some in the front rows held up signs spelling out "Black Lives Matter."
Staff from various city departments, including some city council offices, took part. Of the nine city council members, Mike O'Brien, Sally Clark, Kshama Sawant, Jean Godden, and Nick Licata were present. I didn't see any Seattle Police Department officers, but here's what the chief was doing today.
More photos after the jump.
Speakers took turns reading from a statement they asked attendees to sign "in solidarity with individuals, organizations, and communities working to dismantle racism in our society, and in particular in our criminal justice system." (Read the full statement here.)
"It's all about doing what little we can do," organizer and City Light employee Preston Hampton said after the walkout. The group plans to continue meeting to discuss reforms they want to advocate for in Seattle and is considering organizing forums throughout February to coincide with Black History Month.
As the crowd filtered back inside, Hampton said that if oversight efforts and hiring more minority police officers haven't done enough to change institutional racism in policing, "what people have to ask is why that is." Hampton said he'd like to see legal changes to more often hold accountable officers who kill suspects, including those who are unarmed like Michael Brown and Eric Garner. In Washington, state law dictates when officers are allowed to use deadly force, so Hampton said he plans to eventually start lobbying in Olympia.
"We know the ideas, the laws, the training, all the things that together result in what's going on," he said. "Why don't we do something about it instead of complaining?"
- Kelly O
- About 100 city employees participated in today's walkout.
- Kelly O
- City employees hold signs spelling out "Black Lives Matter."
- Kelly O
- Those who participated in today's walkout listened to speakers read a statement about police accountability, which they were then asked to sign.
- Kelly O
- Sheley Secrest, with the local chapter of the NAACP, told participants they were standing up for those who are often targeted in the community: "You're saying, 'Get me. I'll volunteer. I'll take that hit.'"
- Kelly O
- Preston Hampton helped organize the walkout and says he hopes to build on the momentum of recent national discussions about race and police use of force.
- Kelly O
- An organizer reads part of the group's statement about police accountability to the crowd.
- Kelly O
- City Council Member Mike O'Brien attended, along with four other council members.
