Thousands March in Silence through Rainy Streets of Seattle (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Led by the anti-racist movement in Seattle, thousands of people marched through streets on Friday as part of a Statewide Silent March and General Strike hosted by Black Lives Matter Seattle King County.
As part of the general strike, and in some cases to allow their employees to attend a march, many local businesses were closed Friday or at least closed for part of the day.
Other cities across the region also joined with their own marches and demonstrations.
Almost four hours after it started, Black Lives Matter Seattle King County’s Silent March through the city concluded with more than 60,000 people present.
Many other cities across the region also participated in their own demonstrations and marches.
A US judge on Friday ordered Seattle police to temporarily stop using tear gas, pepper spray and flash-bang devices to break up peaceful protests, a victory for groups who say authorities have overreacted to recent demonstrations over police brutality and racial injustice in the city.
This week, protesters have turned part of Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood into a protest center with speakers, drum circles and Black Lives Matter painted on a street near a police station. Police largely left the station after chaos last weekend, with officers tear-gassing protesters and some demonstrators throwing objects at them. Police used tear gas just a day after the mayor and police chief said they were temporarily halting its use.
The silent march was meant to "honor those lost to police brutality and institutionalized racism," with the silence also helping slow the spread of the coronavirus.
