Antifa Use Snow Barrier to Block Seattle Police from Responding to Emergencies
This past weekend saw an unusual snowstorm hit the Pacific Northwest, with over a foot in Seattle and the surrounding environs, according to The Seattle Times.
Not unusual for Seattle is what the storm will be remembered for years from now: video clips of individuals identified as antifa members using the weather as an excuse to stop police from doing their jobs.
According to video posted by Andy Ngo, chronicler of all things antifa, the video was taken outside the city’s East Precinct — the precinct which was abandoned during the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest/Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone period this summer.
The short clip showed several protesters identified as antifa jumping for joy as a police car tried and failed make it out of the station due to the snow barrier. They then threw snowballs at the car.
Overnight, #antifa in Seattle gathered to pile snow on one of the driveways of the Seattle Police east precinct (where CHAZ used to be). They stopped police from being able to drive out to respond to calls during the snowstorm. pic.twitter.com/6I3drgphvv
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) February 14, 2021
According to Fox News, two separate videos on Instagram show more of the confrontation, with one longer livestream showing a livestream of the confrontation between police and the protesters.
In several of the videos, including Ngo’s, they were identified as members of antifa. Given details of the event are scarce, it’s unclear whether they actually were.
What is abundantly clear, however, is that they aimed to prevent Seattle police from effectively responding to emergencies.
SEATTLE: Antifa shoveled snow and blocked an exit to the @SeattlePD East Precinct which prevented patrol vehicles from responding to calls. pic.twitter.com/5cyf2p4Lrl
— Katie Daviscourt?? (@KatieDaviscourt) February 14, 2021
The first one was from a user who posted several clips of the confrontation.
“Antifa goons blocked the exit of the East Precinct with a pile of snow tonight, in an effort to stop vehicles from responding to emergency calls,” he said in the caption to another Instagram video. “Real bright!”
In that video, police can be seen crowding around the barrier, trying to secure it from the protesters.
“Oh, they’re here! They’ve got the mace out,” one of the protesters can be heard saying in the clip. “It’s a thing.”
When officers threatened to arrest them, one of the individuals asked, rather incredibly, “On what charge?”
“I’m asking you what law you’re going to arrest us on,” asked an individual who was part of a crowd gathered around a snow barrier built to block police vehicles. Amazingly, the person had to be told about obstruction charges — which definitely are a thing.
A longer, 15-minute video from user “seattleblmflowerfairy” that was peppered with obscenities painted a much more damning picture of how Seattle police were treated — and, unbelievably, as you can probably guess by their user name, it was uploaded by someone who was in sympathy with the protesters.
WARNING: The following link contains graphic language that some viewers will find offensive. If you wish to watch the video, it can be found here.
The user described what happened as a “peaceful snowtest.” Anyone who was waiting for the police to respond to emergency calls might be inclined to disagree.
One protester can be heard saying they were “just having a friendly snowball fight here at the East Precinct.”
Another said “cops are being aggressive and violating people’s rights.” The great irony was that the officers seemed to be unusually indulgent with obvious lawbreakers.
After one of the officers told the protesters they “cannot block police from exiting a police vehicle precinct,” another pushed a protester back from around the exit.
At this point, the protesters angrily said, “Stop touching her,” and, “We’re literally not blocking your building.”
They then began chanting “peaceful protest,” even though — again — this is anything but.
The Seattle Police Department didn’t respond when Fox News asked for comment.
Keep in mind, the East Precinct was taken over by rioters over the summer when Seattle police retreated from the CHAZ/CHOP lawless carveout and allowed protesters to have their way.
For their forbearance, this is how they’ve been rewarded: with protesters who see fit to block them from doing their jobs and act surprised and enraged when law enforcement dares to actually enforce laws.
Let’s hope these scenes become even rarer than major snowstorms in Seattle.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
