There were hundreds of anti-ICE protesters who mobilized on Wednesday night in Seattle, marching from Cal Anderson Park to the Federal Building, where the protest soon turned violent. The situation grew tense as protesters clashed with police.
Protesters at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Marion Street reportedly started tossing rocks and fireworks at officers, and police issued a dispersal order. Law enforcement officials allegedly responded with rubber bullets and physical force to manage the crowd.
Anti-ICE Activists Ignite Massive Fire Outside Seattle Federal Building Amid Violent Clash
Chaos erupted outside the federal building in Seattle as anti-ICE activists set fire to a blockade, sparking a massive blaze during a violent protest. Several makeshift barricades were… pic.twitter.com/h9LXcU6CEq
— News is Dead (@newsisdead) June 12, 2025
🚨🚨BREAKING Seattle Federal Building rioters make SEVERAL direct large firework strikes on police skirmish line
Police close on rioters using mace, rubber bullets and physical force. Absolute CHAOS. On the ground NOW pic.twitter.com/HbCqHmtjnS
— Cam Higby | America First 🇺🇸 (@camhigby) June 12, 2025
One of the most dramatic scenes had protesters roll a dumpster into the intersection and it being set ablaze. Social media accounts also reported that the federal building had been vandalized, with smashed windows, although these have not been confirmed. Videos at the scene recorded the chaos unfolding as the ferocity of the clashes between demonstrators and Seattle police was evident.
There were also unconfirmed reports of potential looting in the surrounding areas, but no confirmation has been given so far.
Mayor Bruce Harrell Reacts to Violence
Following the violence, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell released a very clear statement urging peaceful protests and attacking recent federal actions.
“President Trump’s actions in Los Angeles are an outrageous and unconscionable overreach of federal power intended to raise tensions and deflect from his own shortcomings for failing to deliver on the promises he has not made. We oppose Trump’s mass deportation policy of ICE that has already been out in full force in U.S. communities with arrests, detentions, and deportations frequently happening in disregard of due process,” Harrell said.
He continued, “Seattle is firmly behind our residents’ First Amendment rights, and we urge residents to peacefully assert their values. There is no tolerance for violence. Violence and destruction of property are precisely what Trump wants to use to spin his own false story of our city. My administration is coordinating with SPD to make proper preparations and staffing for demonstrations.”
The situation is still fluid as authorities go on inspecting the damage and watching for more unrest.
