CHOP: a tragedy of errors, now entering its final act

After a weekend of late-night violence in the CHOP, today Mayor Jenny Durkan and SPD Chief Carmen Best signaled that their hands-off approach to the protest area on Capitol Hill is changing, and “it’s time for people to go home.” It’s been nearly a month since George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer, surrounded by other officers who stood by and did nothing. The ensuing weeks here in Seattle — the protests, the violent police response, the looting and destruction, the abandoning of the East Precinct, and the occupation of a small section in the heart of Capitol …

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Changes to sexual harassment code advance out of committee

This morning the City Council once more took up some proposed changes to the city’s anti-discrimination code to make explicit prohibitions against sexual harassment and extend the statute of limitations for filing a complaint. After making a further amendment, the bill was voted out of committee but put on a slow train to full Council approval to allow for some additional analysis and community outreach.

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Council starts to update rules on surveillance technology

The City of Seattle has a law on the books requiring The City Council to approve any department’s acquisition of surveillance equipment. The law is old and badly in need of updating, as last year’s Geofeedia incident made clear. Yesterday the Council started its formal consideration of a refreshed version more in keeping with today’s technology.

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The cost of being a sanctuary city in Trump’s USA

President-elect Donald Trump  (yes, it pains me to write that) has stated that in his first 100 days in office he will cancel all federal funding to “sanctuary cities” such as Seattle, where by ordinance city employees may not inquire into a person’s immigration status (except in specific law-enforcement circumstances).  Yesterday Mayor Ed Murray held a press conference, in which he stated that Seattle will continue to be a sanctuary city, even if it loses federal funding. So how much is at stake?

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