Saturday night in Tacoma, Washington there was an incident involving a police car and crowd of people. The police car showed up downtown because people were doing donuts in the street.
— Henry Warren (@HalWarren_) January 24, 2021
A crowd had gathered to watch and police were called. When a cop pulled to try to break up the activity his car was surrounded:
A Tacoma police officer who arrived in an SUV with its lights and sirens on soon found himself surrounded by people who were banging on the stopped vehicle and its windows in a threatening way.
Tacoma police said that fearing for his safety, the officer tried to back up but was unable to because of the crowd. While trying to leave the unsafe situation, the officer drove forward and hit one person and possibly others, police said…
When the officer got to a safe location, he called for medics. The man was taken to a hospital. Police had originally said the pedestrian had minor injuries but have since said his condition is not known..
This was all caught on video from several angles. Be warned this is graphic:
9th and Pacific Ave in Tacoma pic.twitter.com/C76iq2Eimw
— Jason Gauthier (@jasonjgauthier) January 24, 2021
People at the scene were immediately outraged over what happened. One person was arrested at the scene. Police have said the officer involved is 58-years-old and has been on the force for 29 years but have not released his name.
This all happened Saturday night but Sunday night a group of people in black bloc showed up in Tacoma and began to march through the streets, smashing windows and setting fires:
Protesters are gathering in Tacoma, Washington, after videos emerged of a police officer driving through a crowd of spectators at a street racing event in the city last night #Tacoma #TacomaProtests #Washington pic.twitter.com/SBCY5Duljv
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 25, 2021
A street preacher near the group was attacked:
The street preacher from the Seattle protests has been knocked to the ground once again #Tacoma #TacomaProtests pic.twitter.com/zXvnZThvQT
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 25, 2021
They attacked this guy too. Not clear if he was with the street preacher.
Fights breaking out near Frost Park in downtown Tacoma #Tacoma #TacomaProtests #Washington pic.twitter.com/nAT5NDdtUX
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 25, 2021
Then a fire was lit in the street:
Tacoma, WA: Antifa has set fire to a dumpster in the middle of the street pic.twitter.com/gY22f4nx8L
— James Klüg (@realJamesKlug) January 25, 2021
Tacoma: An Antifa flag waves as ~150 Antifa demonstrators mobilize for their march pic.twitter.com/JYzk1lwYa7
— James Klüg (@realJamesKlug) January 25, 2021
By around 8:30 the mob was on the move:
“Stay together, stay tight, we do this every night!” chants as the protesters mobilize in downtown Tacoma tonight #Tacoma #TacomaProtests #Washington pic.twitter.com/NbCB2lMlBx
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 25, 2021
Smashing as they go:
Windows are being smashed in downtown Tacoma tonight as the crowd moves through the streets #Tacoma #TacomaProtests #Washington pic.twitter.com/g3aRPxbeQl
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 25, 2021
A bail bonds office has their windows smashed in Tacoma #Tacoma #TacomaProtests #TacomaPolice #Washington pic.twitter.com/mlMEyYVKm0
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 25, 2021
They are smashing businesses and parked cars.
Tacoma, Wa: Antifa has vandalized at least 10 businesses as well as parked vehicles pic.twitter.com/TSkBCpYEH8
— James Klüg (@realJamesKlug) January 25, 2021
Another angle:
Lots of Antifa vandalism in Tacoma. pic.twitter.com/di7aaLIaEP
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) January 25, 2021
The cars belong to Sheriff’s officers which is why they are a target:
Sheriff’s officers’ car windows are smashed outside the jailhouse in Tacoma #Tacoma #Tacomaprotests #Washington pic.twitter.com/V2woLYiHmy
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 25, 2021
They stopped at the county jail and rattled the fence:
Tacoma: Antifa has arrived at the county jail pic.twitter.com/b8lsn3wwEF
— James Klüg (@realJamesKlug) January 25, 2021
They were chanting “Free them all.”
Protesters march past the Pierre County Jail, stopping to chant “Free them all!” as some rattle the fence outside #Tacoma #Tacomaprotests #Washington pic.twitter.com/UUuPILcAjn
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 25, 2021
“No cops, no prisons, total abolition!” chants from the crowd as they shine lights into apartment buildings along the march route #Tacoma #TacomaProtests #Washington pic.twitter.com/UfKHjcl5nS
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 25, 2021
Eventually a line of police officers blocked the march:
Tacoma, WA: TPD Officers have arrived and are warning Antifa demonstrators to leave the area pic.twitter.com/s6vkkL5Td6
— James Klüg (@realJamesKlug) January 25, 2021
The mob turned away, smashing windows as they went:
Windows smashed at a security system store near the courthouse in Tacoma #Tacoma #TacomaProtests #Washington pic.twitter.com/jWXx0m2Yxi
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 25, 2021
The crowd makes their way back towards Frost Park as people disperse at the end of the night here in Tacoma #Tacoma #TacomaProtests #Washington pic.twitter.com/HywGImdHkz
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) January 25, 2021
Andy Ngo points out that sometime last night police arrested two people who had gone onto a roof:
During the #antifa riot in Tacoma, Wash. overnight, police arrested people who had breached a building to get on the roof. They were found armed with a pistol and knives. Police say the suspects were in black bloc & had tactical riot gear. https://t.co/qGvL6fGLRi
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) January 25, 2021
There needs to be an investigation of the incident at the street race. A person was run over and put in the hospital. The injuries could be very serious. But smashing windows at random doesn’t help that process. It just creates an expensive mess for lots of people who had nothing to do with it. Mob vandalism is not how we do things. At least it didn’t use to be. Increasingly in Portland, Seattle and now Tacoma it seems like this is the new normal.
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