BLM now controls Seattle's East Precinct and KITO radio host Dori Monson and guests report they are armed and have taken control of 4 blocks surrounding the precinct.
https://patch.com/washington/seattle/seattle-police-leave-east-precinct-remove-barricades
Seattle Police Leave East Precinct, Remove Barricades
SPD removed sensitive items and boarded up the East Precinct before opening up the surrounding streets to protesters Monday evening.
SEATTLE, WA — Following more than a week of protests outside the East Precinct that often ended in tear gas, pepper spray and flashbangs, the Seattle Police Department boarded up its windows, took down the barricades and opened up the streets.
Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best announced a "decreasing footprint" around the area Monday afternoon, citing calls from demonstrators and local leaders for the department to adjust its posture. Protesters have gathered daily near a fortified barricade at 11th Avenue and East Pine Street — an area the police chief has repeatedly called a "flashpoint."
"Protesters have requested it, they want the streets open for peaceful marches and we're going to facilitate that opportunity for them," Best said. "This is an exercise in trust and de-escalation."
Earlier in the afternoon, neighbors shared several photos and videos of police unloading items from the building into vehicles and putting up fencing.
As police left the neighborhood, protesters moved down a stretch of East Pine Street previously guarded by rows of officers in riot gear.
After the initial march, a group assembled outside the precinct to hear some impromptu remarks from various speakers, featuring a crowd-sourced list of demands for policing. Later in the evening, Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant addressed the audience, calling for the demilitarization of Seattle's police department.
While a police presence was notably absent from the blocks surrounding the precinct, social media accounts reported large groups of officers in riot gear, with buses and armored vehicles, staged at nearby schools.
The school district strongly condemned police presence on their property Monday night, which they said was unauthorized.
"We did not allow, nor condone, property being used to stage any militarized police or actual military. We did not give permission and will continue to figure out how this happened. We are working to ensure that this staging is not repeated on SPS property."
Earlier in the day, Seattle city councilmembers roundly condemned recent police actions at protests and voiced support for a bill seeking to ban use of most crowd control devices. Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda promised an inquest into the SPD budget, with plans to re-direct spending into community health and safety programs.