CHECK ONE, CHECK TWO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, THE FEBRUARY 3,
2026 MEETING OF THE SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER.
IT IS 2:03 P.M.
I AM JOY HOLLINGSWORTH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> HERE.
>> NINE PRESENT.
>> AWESOME.
COLLEAGUES, I'M HAVING LITTLE
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES ON MY
COMPUTER, SO IF YOU ALL
RAISE YOUR HANDS IF YOU HAVE
SOMETHING TO SAY, PLEASE RAISE
IT.
I'LL KEEP LOOKING DOWN ON
THE DAIS LEFT AND RIGHT.
SO AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO
OPEN UP THE HYBRID
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENT
IS LIMITED TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA OR
THE INTRODUCTION OR REFERRAL
CALENDAR OR WITHIN THE
COUNCIL'S
WORK PLAN.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE
SIGNED UP TODAY?
I KNOW I HAVE 13 AND THEN
YOU'LL DO A COUNT THERE, AND
WE'LL COUNT ONLINE AS WELL.
[ INAUDIBLE ]
>> WE HAVE 18 IN PERSON
AND ONE
REMOTE.
>> AWESOME. AND I SEE TWO OTHER
FOLKS SIGNING UP, WHICH IS
GREAT. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE
EVERYONE
TWO MINUTES TODAY BECAUSE WE'RE
UNDER 30 PEOPLE, SO WE'LL DO
TWO
MINUTES. AND WE'LL START WITH
THE
IN- PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST,
SO WE'LL DO EVERY IN- PERSON
FIRST
AND THEN GO ONLINE.
CLERK, I WILL HAND OVER TO
YOU TO DO
THE INSTRUCTIONS AND I WILL CALL
THE NAMES.
>> SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME
WHEN TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT
OF THEIR TIME.
SPEAKERS MICS WILL BE MUTED TO
ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE NEXT
SPEAKER.
>> AWESOME.
SO FIRST I'M GOING TO CALL IN
THREES, OKAY, FOR PEOPLE TO
COME UP.
SO YOU CAN COME UP IN THREES.
WE HAVE MISS
DONITA SINCLAIR, WE HAVE MR.
TSIMERMAN, ALEX
TSIMERMAN, AND ROSE AND LARENDA.
SO DONITA, ALEX TSIMERMAN,
IVETTE, ROSE AND LARENDA.
WELCOME.
>> THANK
YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
MY NAME IS DONITA SINCLAIR
AND MY SON WAS MURDERED IN 2020,
AND I'M HERE FOR
EVIDENCE PUBLIC SERVICE IS NOT
WORKING.
TWO MINUTES, NUMBER ONE, IS NOT
GOING TO
GIVE US THE SATISFACTION OF
SAYING WE GET
TO EXPRESS WHAT'S GOING ON IN
OUR
COMMUNITY.
WE JUST WATCHED TWO KIDS GET
MURDERED, SLANDERED, AND I
SEE YOU GUYS SITTING AROUND
HERE LAUGHING AND IT'S NOT
FUNNY. I'M ASKING, WHAT ARE YOU
GOING TO DO TODAY?
WHAT ACTIONS?
WHY IS THIS NOT FULL
WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND
ACCOUNTABILITY? OUR KIDS ARE
GETTING MURDERED
IN BROAD DAYLIGHT AND YOU GUYS
ARE SITTING UP AROUND HERE
ACTING LIKE -- I MEAN, YOU'RE
GOING TO BE NEXT.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE WAITING ON?
BECAUSE I'M ASKING YOU TO
TAKE THIS SERIOUS.
I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING TO COME UP
HERE.
I CAME TO READ A SPEECH BUT MY
HEART IS NOT ALLOWING ME TO. TO
START BEING HUMAN BEINGS?
WHEN
ARE OUR CHILDREN GOING TO BE
TREATED LIKE HUMAN
BEINGS. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY
MINUTES I'VE GOT LEFT, I HAVE
TWO,
THREE OR WHATEVER.
PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUS.
WHAT STEPS, WHAT ACTIONS?
WE KNOW MISS KATIE HAS BEEN
IN THE OFFICE FOR 30 DAYS
BUT PUBLIC SAFETY SHOULD BE
NUMBER
ONE PRIORITY. I WOULDN'T ASK
YOU TO COME TO A
MEETING UNLESS PUBLIC SAFETY IS
IN THE BUILDING. TAKE YOUR JOBS
SERIOUSLY, OR
YOUR KIDS WILL BE NEXT.
LOOK AT IT.
THIS IS NOT A GAME.
I HOPE WHEN YOU GO BACK
HOME, YOU DO FEEL LIKE SHIT.
DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'RE
DOING YOUR JOB.
FEEL YOUR FAILED US BECAUSE
YOU HAVE BEEN.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MS. DONITA --
NO, YOU'RE GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD, YOU'RE GOOD,
YOU'RE
GOOD. MR. TSIMERMAN, YOU ARE
NEXT
FOLLOWED BY IVETTE DINISH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YEAH, MY NAME ALEX TSIMERMAN
AND I'M VERY GOOD WITH THE
STATEMENT FROM COUNCIL JUAREZ,
ABOLISH
I.C.E. AND FUCK I.C.E. , A VERY
GOOD STATEMENT.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY
COUNCIL JUAREZ FOR MANY A YEAR
FUCK
ME IN ANY MEETING.
WHY YOU DO
THIS? BECAUSE YOU ARE FUCK NAZI
PIG
OR DIRTY ANTI- SEMITE OR YOU ARE
A
FUCKING CRAZY --
>> DO YOU HAVE A POINT OF ORDER?
>> HOLD ON.
WE'RE GOING TO PAUSE, TIME.
LET'S PAUSE TIME SO WE'RE NOT
GOING INTO YOUR TIME.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> POINT OF ORDER FOR MR. --
EXCUSE ME.
I LOST MY VOICE THERE.
MR. TSIMERMAN, PERSONAL ATTACKS
ON INDIVIDUAL
COUNCILMEMBERS IS NOT ALLOWED.
SO I'M ASKING THAT WE PUT ON
THE RECORD FOR THE FIRST TIME --
BECAUSE HE HAS TWO
MORE CHANCES -- THAT HE WILL
BE BANNED FROM CITY COUNCIL.
I HAVE THE RULES IN FRONT OF
ME, BUT I THINK WE KNOW WHAT THE
RULES ARE.
MR. TSIMERMAN KNOWS WHAT
THEY ARE.
SO, WITH THAT, COUNCILMEMBER, I
WOULD ASK THAT HE NOT ATTACK
INDIVIDUAL COUNCILMEMBERS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>> SORRY, I LOST MY VOICE.
>> NO WORRIES.
WE'LL RESTART THE TIME IF
YOU CAN REFRAIN FROM ATTACKING
COUNCILMEMBERS. THAT WOULD BE
GREATLY
APPRECIATED.
>> I'M NOT ATTACKING --
>> HOLD ON. WE'LL START YOUR
TIME, MR.
TSIMERMAN.
>> I SUPPORT YOUR
STATEMENT, ABOLISH AND FUCK
I.C.E.
IT'S A GOOD STATEMENT.
I SUPPORT THE
STATEMENT BECAUSE -- THE
STATEMENT,
TOO, OR A DIFFERENT STANDARD.
YOU'RE MY EMPLOYEE, DON'T
FORGET.
YOU WORK FOR ME FOR 1,000
PEOPLE.
I AM YOUR BOSS.
THEY'RE YOUR BOSS.
YOU FORGOT ABOUT IT.
IT'S A PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE.
SO BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT
EXACTLY THE HOT POTATO.
IT'S A PROBLEM RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE DOING
NOTHING FOR 30 YEAR CRIME GO UP
AND UP.
NO BLACK MEN AND WHERE IS
THE BLACK COMMUNITY?
WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE A NAZI
PIG?
HUH?
YOU DON'T HAVE LAW, RULES, SHE
IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
WE HAVE EVERYTHING.
SEATTLE USE LOVE AND
CONSTITUTION. YOU DON'T KNOW
ABOUT THIS
LOVE AND CONSTITUTION.
YOU APPEAR TO THIS IDIOT WHO IS
TALKING TO YOU WHAT THEY
WANT, DEMONSTRATION IN STREET.
MANY DEMONSTRATION.
I NEVER SEE ONE
DEMONSTRATION. I TOLD YOU
BEFORE, DIE EVERY
YEAR FOR 30 YEARS.
YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATION FROM THIS
IDIOT?
NO, NEVER.
15,000.
AND FOR 30 YEARS WE CANNOT
FIX THIS PROBLEM.
I TALK TO YOU MANY TIMES.
IT IS A PROBLEM, FIX IT.
IT IS A PROBLEM, VERY EASY.
GIVE ME CHANCE EXPLAIN TO YOU OF
THIS PROJECT AND
BRING EVERYTHING UNDER THE ROOF.
YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING.
YOU TRESPASS ME 20 TIMES FOR
FIVE YEARS I CANNOT SPEAK.
YOU DON'T DO NOTHING.
SHE'S 1,000 TIMES RIGHT.
A NEW AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
STAND UP.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE MS. IVETTE DINISH
FOLLOWED BY ROSE AND LARENDA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS. GLAD TO BE HERE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE
FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR
WHICH IT
STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD
INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY
AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK ON ALL
THE LEGITIMATE DRAMA
SURROUNDING I.C.E. AND ALL
THOSE THOUSANDS AND HUNDREDS OF
PEOPLE WHO
ARE MARCHING AND PROTESTING
I.C.E.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM SHOW
UP AT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS
A VANGUARD AND STAY UNTIL SCHOOL
STARTS AND WHEN IT ENDSENDS
SINGLE DAY.
AND I WOULD ALSO
LIKE OUR COMMUNITY -- WELL, BACK
UP
A LITTLE BIT.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAY
ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING FOR OUR
COMMUNITY.
WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY DOING
FOR OUR COMMUNITY?
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE
ORGANIZATIONS IN THE SOUTH
PARTICULARLY LIKE LARRY
WILMORE'S FATHERS AND SONS
TOGETHER, LEADERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT, AND FIND
OUT -- TALK TO THE KIDS ON THE
STREET, TALK TO THE GUIDANCE
COUNSELORS.
USE THEIR GUIDE TO SEE WHAT
WE CAN DO AS A COMMUNITY TO
HELP KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MISS IVETTE.
NEXT WE HAVE ROSE FOLLOWED BY
LARENDA FOLLOWED BY DELL
JOHNSON. HELLO, ROSE.
WELCOME.
>> HELLO.
THIS LAST WEEK MAYOR WILSON
MADE STATEMENTS AND TALKED ABOUT
CONCRETE ACTION SHE WAS GOING
TO TAKE AGAINST I.C.E.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
WAS WELCOME TO THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT THIS IS -- I
ALSO WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF
THE
COUNCILMEMBERS THAT SPOKE ABOUT
IT, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLEMAN
AND COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, LIN
AND FOSTER FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
THIS IS A GOOD FIRST STEP.
THERE ARE MORE STEPS TO BE HAD.
MAYOR WILSON SAID SHE IS
GOING TO TALK ABOUT SURVEILLANCE
LATER
THIS WEEKEND AND WHAT SHE
IS GOING TO TAKE.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK
ABOUT CAMERAS.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT RIGHT
NOW
I.C.E. IS TRYING TO USE OUR
PHONES TO TRACK OUR ENTIRE
COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE IT
DOESN'T MATTER IF WE BAN
LICENSE PLATES IF THEY CAN TRACK
ALL OF
OUR PHONES AND TELL US WHERE WE
ARE
GOING.
IT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY
THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL
TO PASS ON TO THE MAYOR, IF AT
ALL
POSSIBLE, THAT IT'S OKAY TO
MAKE
PRESS STATEMENTS.
PEOPLE WANT TO SEE YOU ALL.
THEY WANT TO SEE THE MAYOR.
THEY WANT TO FEEL THERE
IS SOMETHING MORE GOING ON,
A PERSONAL
CONNECTION. SHOWING UP FOR A
COUPLE
OF SPEECHES OCCASIONALLY IS
GOOD,
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT PEOPLE
NEED.
TELL THEM THE ACTIONS, MEET
WITH
PEOPLE. THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS
WHO
ARE SUFFERING AND PEOPLE
SEE THE CITY OFFICE, THE CITY
HALL, AS A
CLOSED-
OFF PLACE WE NEVER SEE. WE NEED
TO SEE THE CITY
COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR MEETING
WITH INDIVIDUALS IN OUR
COMMUNITY AND
TALKING TO THEM AS
INDIVIDUALS AND MAKING THEM FEEL
SAFE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW
EVERYBODY IS
FUCKING SCARED, AND THAT IS
HOW THINGS ARE AND THEY'RE
GOING
TO CONTINUE TO BE FOR THE
FORESEEABLE UNTIL
INDIVIDUALS MEET WITH THEM AND
SHOW
THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO
CHANGE. GOOD ACTIONS HAPPEN BUT
YOU
HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE
IN THE COMMUNITY WHAT IS GOING
TO HAPPEN AND
ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE
FURTHER
ACTIONS. THE WHISTLE COMMUNITIES
ARE
GREAT, PEOPLE MEETING UP IS
GREAT, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE
YOU ALL SPEAR LEADING THE
EFFORTS THAT YOU CAN TO MAKE
PEOPLE
FEEL LIKE THEY ARE HERE IN
SEATTLE AND THEY WILL BE SAFE
WHEN THEY
COME HERE FOR REFUGE.
>> THANK YOU, ROSE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> WE HAVE
LARENDA FOLLOWED BY DALE OLLOWED
BY MARI.
DID I SAY YOUR NAME RIGHT?
MYRES.
>> YES.
>> WELCOME.
>> MY NAME IS LARENDA AND MY
LAST NAME IS MYRES.
I'M SHOWING UP HERE JUST TO
MEET
YOU ALL.
AND, SECONDLY, I'M STANDING UP
HERE ON BEHALF OF THE CHILDREN.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS MEETING
SHOULD HAVE MORE PEOPLE OF
COLOR
HERE. I'M A BLACK WOMAN AND
I'M SEEING
NO RESULTS.
AND THESE ARE CHILDREN -- WHEN
WE SAY CHILDREN, THE AGE IS
GETTING
LOWER, YOUNGER AND YOUNGER AND
YOUNGER. AND AS I AGE, I AM NOT
OKAY
WITH THAT, AND I JUST WANTED TO
SAY THAT IT'S NOT TO KNOCK YOU
ALL,
AS YOU'RE INTRODUCING
YOURSELF TO US, I'M INTRODUCING
MYSELF TO
YOU ALL TO FIND OUT WHAT'S
THE AGENDA AND HOW IS IT GOING
TO
WORK.
THAT'S
IT.
>> THANK YOU, MISS LARENDA.
[ APPLAUSE ]
NEXT WE HAVE DELL
JOHNSON FOLLOWED BY MARI
FOLLOWED BY
BENNETT.
>> OOPS.
I'M NOT NEXT?
DALE JOHNSON?
HI,
DALE. WELCOME.
>> WELCOME. HOW ARE YOU DOING?
MY NAME IS DALE
JOHNSON. I'M AN ENGINEER.
I HAVE MORE THAN 25 YEARS
OF UTILITY EXPERIENCE, 10 YEARS
AT SEATTLE CITY LIGHT AND
A PROTECT 17 MEMBER.
I REMEMBER THE DAY THAT DONDON
TALKED TO US ABOUT EMPLOYEE
MISCONDUCT.
THERE WAS A REPORT THAT WAS
RELEASED ABOUT OUR CREWS
THAT WERE DRINKING ON THE JOB,
HAZING AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT.
AND SHE HAD THAT
DIFFICULT CONVERSATION WITH US,
AND I
REMEMBER THAT TOOK A LOT OF
COURAGE, AND SHE LOOKED AT
US AND SAID THAT WE HAVE TO DO
BETTER.
OUR CULTURE HAS TO BE BETTER.
WE NEED TO HAVE TOUGH
CONVERSATIONS, AND WE NEED
TO, YOU
KNOW, BASICALLY WORK BETTER WITH
OUR CO-WORKERS.
SHE DIDN'T
BLAME ANYBODY. SHE DIDN'T POINT
FINGERS.
BUT MOST OF THAT, ALL OF THAT
MISCONDUCT HAPPENED
BEFORE SHE WAS EVEN OUR GM.
SHE DIDN'T POINT THE FINGERS AT
ANYBODY.
SHE STOOD UP AND
TOOK ACCOUNTABILITY AND TOLD
US WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO MOVE
FORWARD.
AND AFTER THAT CONVERSATION, I
THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T
HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT
MISCONDUCT, BUT I NEED TO DO
BETTER.
I NEED TO BE A BETTER
COMMUNICATOR. I NEED TO HAVE THE
HARD
CONVERSATIONS WITH MY CO-
WORKER AND I NEED TO BE
ACCOUNTABLE FOR
WHAT I DO.
AND IT JUST KIND OF HIT ME THAT
DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS ARE HARD
TO HAVE, AND SO IN THE LAST
TWO WEEKS WE'VE TALKED --
I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE
AND JEN CHAN'S NAME HAS COME UP
A LOT AND PEOPLE SAID THEY
THINK THAT JEN FIRED OUR BOSS.
WE'VE BEEN ASKING TO MEET WITH
JEN, BUT SHE HASN'T MET WITH
US.
AND SO I REALLY WANT TO
MEET WITH JEN AND THE MAYOR,
BECAUSE PROTECT 17 ELECTED THE
MAYOR,
SO BASICALLY THAT'S WHY I'M
HERE AND I WILL CONTINUE TO COME
BACK UNTIL WE HAVE A
MEETING WITH JEN
AND THE MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, DALE.
NEXT WE HAVE MARI FOLLOWED BY
BENNETT, HOWARD AND ADRIANNA.
>> HI, COUNCILMEMBERS.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR
ELECTION.
I'M HERE JUST TO INTRODUCE
MYSELF FOR NEW
BUSINESS COMING UP ACTUALLY IN
FRONT
OF COUNCILMEMBER LIN'S
COMMITTEE.
I'VE REQUESTED A MEETING WITH
HIM.
COUNCILMEMBER, THANK YOU
FOR AGREEING TO MEET WITH ME.
JUST TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AND
MY LITTLE GROUP, I'M THE
PRESIDENT
OF LAKE UNION ASSOCIATION
WHICH REPRESENTS LITTLE TINY
HOUSEBOATS.
IS THAT BETTER?
I PUT MY CARD IN THE BOX
AND IT WILL BE COPIED TO ALL OF
YOU
JUST SO YOU CAN GET AHOLD OF
ME WHEN YOU NEED TO GO THROUGH
THE SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PLAN,
WHICH IS COMING UP BEFORE YOUR
COMMITTEE AT SOME POINT.
WE WERE THE ONES WHO HELD IT
UP TEN YEARS AGO FROM ITS
BEING APPROVED BECAUSE OF THE
ISSUES THAT WE RAISED.
AND THE COUNCIL -- THE CITY
HAS BEEN SUED NINE TIMES BY
MEMBERS OF MY GROUP, AND WE'VE
WON, SO
I THINK WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE
WITH
THIS NEW COUNCIL AND THIS NEW
MAYOR IS THAT WE
GET INCLUDED BEFORE IT GETS TOO
FAR BEYOND
US.
I WENT OVER THE ADVISORY
COMMITTEES THAT WE HAVE IN THE
CITY, 71 ADVISORY COMMITTEES
AND COMMISSIONS, AND NOT ONE
INVOLVING THE MARITIME
COMMUNITY.
AND YET THIS IS A MARITIME CITY.
YOU HAVE EVERYTHING FROM
THE ARBORETUM TO THE ZOO
IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
BUT NOTHING FOR MARITIME.
IN THE LAST ADMINISTRATION TWO
PORT COMMISSIONERS SAT AS
EXECUTORS IN THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE.
THE PORT COMMISSION IS THE
BIG DOG ON THE BLOCK, BUT WHO
USES OUR WATERS?
EVERYBODY FROM THE PORT AND
THE BIG SHIPS DOWN TO KAYAKERS
AND
PADDLE BOARDERS.
SO AS A GROUP WE ALL HAVE
AN INTEREST IN THE SHORELINE.
I WOULD URGE YOU TO CREATE
AN ADMISSION OR ADVISORY
COMMITTEE A SAY BEFORE THE
MANAGEMENT PLAN GETS TO THE
COUNCIL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
NEXT WE HAVE BENNETT --
BLESS YOU -- BENNETT FOLLOWED BY
HOWARD, GAIL AND ADRIANA.
WELCOME, BENNETT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
I WANT TO REITERATE ONCE AGAIN
I THINK THAT, MY UNDERSTANDING
UNDER CITY COUNCIL
RULES, SECTION 11, SUBSECTION C
AND D,
THERE IS NO RULE AGAINST
A PUBLIC COMMENTER ASKING
A QUESTION AND THEN GIVING
OVER PART OF THEIR TIME FOR A
COUNCILMEMBER TO ANSWER THE
QUESTION.
AND NOT ONLY IS THERE NO
RULE AGAINST IT, I SINCERELY
BELIEVE
THAT WOULD BE IN SOME CASES
A MORE PRODUCTIVE USE OF
PUBLIC COMMENT TIME SUBJECT TO
THE
CONSTRAINTS, YOU'VE GOT
TWO MINUTES, EVERYBODY HAS TO BE
CIVIL, BUT UNDER THOSE RULES
THERE'S NO PARTICULAR REASON
YOU
CAN'T USE THE TIME TO ASK
A QUESTION AND GET AN ANSWER.
I HAD A QUESTION
FOR COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
SHE LEFT.
SO WE'LL SWITCH IT UP, BECAUSE
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE CHAIR
OF THE MEETING WHO IS
BEING ASKED A QUESTION.
BOB, I KNOW YOU KNOW
THESE MICROPHONES ARE ON DURING
PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF YOU'RE A NEWER PERSON, ASK
BOB HOW HE KNOWS THAT.
DURING THE DISCUSSION AROUND
THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS SOME
PEOPLE HAD MENTIONED THAT
STUDIES
HAD SHOWN THAT -- THEY PHRASE IT
AS SURVEILLANCE DOES NOT
REDUCE CRIME IN THE CITY.
I LOOKED UP THE STUDIES
THEY WERE REFERENCING.
IT APPEARED TO SAY SPECIFICALLY
SURVEILLANCE DOESN'T
REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME BUT IT DOES
REDUCE
PROPERTY CRIME.
AND THAT DOES INTUITIVELY
MATCH WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT.
VIOLENT CRIME IS MORE
IMPULSIVE, PEOPLE AREN'T
THINKING
WHETHER THERE'S A CRIME THERE.
PROPERTY CRIME, MORE THOUGHT.
THERE'S A CAMERA, LET ME
FOCUS OVER HERE.
DO YOU THINK THE INTENT
IS MORE ABOUT DETERRING VIOLENT
CRIME
OR DO YOU AGREE THAT
SURVEILLANCE ONLY DETERS
PROPERTY CRIME?
THAT IS THE POINT OF THIS
SYSTEM.
THERE IS NO RULE THAT SAYS YOU
CAN'T ANSWER.
[ MUSIC PLAYS ]
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THANK YOU, BENNETT.
>> I AM AVAILABLE.
>> THANK YOU, BENNETT.
NEXT WE HAVE MR. HOWARD
GALE, AND BEFORE YOU
START, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE JUST
SAID HE'S AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE DURING THAT
TIME TO
BE ENGAGED IN THESE
CONVERSATIONS, SO JUST WANTED TO
THROW
THAT OUT TO YOU, BENNETT.
MR. HOWARD GALE FOLLOWED BY
ADRIANA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
WE'VE HAD 15 MONTHS SINCE TRUMP
WAS ELECTED TO GET READY
FOR THE DAYS WE ARE FACING AND
YET NO
LEGISLATION OR RESOLUTIONS
THAT ACTUALLY AFFIRMATIVELY
REQUIRE
SPD OFFICERS TO PROTECT PEOPLE.
INSTEAD, WHAT WE GET, AFTER
I ASKED FIVE MONTHS AGO,
36 DISTRICT DEMOCRATS PUT FORTH
POTENTIAL LEGISLATION.
INSTEAD WE GET WHAT IS
COUNCIL BILL 121158 WHICH SIMPLY
REITERATES A HORRIFYING AND
INAPPROPRIATE LAW THAT'S ON
THE BOOKS WHICH IS THAT
SEATTLE POLICE OFFICERS ARE
EXEMPT
FROM NOT ENGAGING IN TALKING
ABOUT A
PERSON'S LEGAL
STATUS IF THEY HAVE REASONABLE
SUSPICION
TO BELIEVE
THEY'VE PREVIOUSLY BEEN
DEPORTED OR COMMITTING OR
HAVE
COMMITTED A CRIMINAL LAW
VIOLATION. THAT IN THIS POINT IN
TIME IS
HORRIFIC. AN I.C.E. OFFICER CAN
WALK UP
TO AN SPD OFFICER AND SAY
THAT PERSON IS A MEMBER OF TREN
de
ARAGUA, THAT PERSON IS A
CRIMINAL, IS A FELON, AND
WE NEED TO GO AFTER THEM.
THIS NEEDS TO ACTUALLY BE
CHANGED.
INSTEAD OF CHANGING IT, IT'S
SIMPLY BEING
REITERATED AT THIS POINT IN
TIME.
I'D LIKE TO POINT
OUT COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER, YOU
DID
TALK IN COUNCIL
BRIEFING YESTERDAY ABOUT THE
FACT
THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS
TERRORIZED AT THE END OF
DECEMBER BY A
RIGHT- WING PROVOCATEUR.
THE STORY IS THE SPD, OFFICERS
CAME ON THE SCENE AND WHEN THE
GUY HAD BRANDISHED A
FIREARM THEY DID NOTHING.
AN OFFICER WAS
NONCHALANT WITH SOMEONE
POTENTIALLY AN I.C.E.
OFFICER AND SAID I DON'T CARE.
WE HAVE LOTS OF STORIES.
>> THANK YOU, MR. GALE.
[ INAUDIBLE ]
THANK YOU, MR. GALE.
[ INAUDIBLE ]
THANK YOU, MR. GALE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
NEXT WE HAVE ADRIANA.
IS ADRIANA HERE?
THE LAST ONE.
>> CAN YOU PUT IT TO FOUR
MINUTES, PLEASE?
>> THERE'S A TRANSLATOR HERE.
WE'LL DO FOUR MINUTES.
HELLO, WELCOME.
WE'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES FOR
THE TRANSLATION OPPORTUNITY.
WELCOME. YOU CAN USE BOTH
MICROPHONES.
THANK YOU.
>> Translator: HI, GOOD
AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS ADRIANA.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY
WITHOUT BORDERS.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF MANY
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO SUPPORT
THE
MIGRANT COMMUNITY.
TODAY I COME WITH THE INTENTION
OF SHARING MY COMMUNITY'S
VOICE.
ESPECIALLY THE VENEZUELAN
MIGRANT
COMMUNITY. I WANT
YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M ALSO
AFRAID.
BUT I STILL CAME TO THIS
MEETING.
IN THE LAST FEW FEW DAYS, I GOT
TO MEET ALEXIS IN THESE PLACES
--
I WAS REALLY MOVED BY THE
TESTIMONY THAT SHE GAVE.
I ACTUALLY FELT IDENTIFIED,
SEEN.
I FELT LIKE I WAS WITH
FAMILY, LIKE AT HOME.
THAT WE WERE PASSING THROUGH A
SIMILAR SITUATION.
FOR US RIGHT NOW, IT'S VERY
COMPLICATED.
BECAUSE OUTSIDE OF JUST
THE FORCED MIGRATION WE
EXPERIENCE,
WE ARE PASSING
THROUGH PERSECUTION BY I.C.E.
THAT MEANS THAT LOTS OF FAMILIES
ARE FINDING THEMSELVES IN
DIFFICULT SITUATIONS THAT ARE
DIVERSE AND COMPLEX,
COMING TO DO WITH HOUSING, WITH
HEALTH,
AND EVEN MIGRATORY STATUS.
IN THAT MOMENT I ASKED ALEXIS
TO HAVE A MEETING WITH
YOU ONE-ON-ONE.
I ACTUALLY ALSO SENT AN
EMAIL BECAUSE YOU GAVE ME YOUR
EMAIL.
THIS WAS AA BIT STRANGE THE
RESPONSE I GOT.
BECAUSE, AS I MENTIONED
EARLIER, I FELT THERE WAS A LOT
OF EMPATHY FROM BEFORE.
THE RESPONSE I GOT WAS THAT
SHE'S VERY BUSY AND THAT SHE
COULDN'T ASSIST ME AT THAT
TIME.
THAT POSSIBLY THE SERVICES
WOULD COME AT THE END OF JANUARY
OR BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY.
SERVICES
SUCH AS A LAWYER, LEGAL AID.
AND ALSO
THE POSSIBILITY FOR RESOURCES
FOR HOUSING.
MY QUESTION IS THE FOLLOWING.
WHAT JOB ISIS LARGE WHEN THE
PROMISE IS TO SUPPORT THE
COMMUNITY? AND ESPECIALLY THE
MIGRANT
COMMUNITY? I PRESENT TO YOU PART
OF
MY COMMUNITY THAT WOULD ALSO
LIKE
TO GIVE TESTIMONY TODAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Translator: GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS --
I'M A MIGRANT WHO CROSSED THE
BORDER WITH MY HUSBAND AND WITH
MY DAUGHTER.
TO REALLY SAVE OUR LIVES AND TO
FIND SAFETY.
AND WE'RE PASSING THROUGH A
SITUATION RIGHT NOW WHERE
MY DAUGHTER IS BEING PROCESSED
THROUGH A SEPARATE CASE FROM
OURS.
EVEN THOUGH SHE IS HERE WITH
HER FAMILY.
SHE ALREADY HAD HER FIRST
COURT WHERE SHE HAD TO GO AS AN
UNACCOMPANIED
MINOR BY HERSELF,
AND WE FELT SO MUCH FEAR FOR
HER.
IN THIS SITUATION WE
FEEL EVEN MORE VULNERABLE NOW.
BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING THE RISK
THAT MY DAUGHTER WILL BE
DEPORTED WITHOUT HER PARENTS.
GOING WITH THE FEAR KNOWING THAT
I.C.E. MIGHT BE THERE TO EVEN
DETAIN US AS WELL.
AND WE'RE GOING TO OUR COURTS
AND FOLLOWING ALL THE
STEPS BECAUSE WE WANT TO FOLLOW
WITH
THE LAW.
BUT WE DON'T FEEL SAFE.
WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GO WITH A
LAWYER.
THANKS TO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT
ARE HERE WITH US TODAY, WE FEEL
A LITTLE BIT SAFER BECAUSE
THEY COME WITH US.
EITHER WAY, WE STILL FEEL VERY
UNSAFE.
SO I'M SHARING MY SITUATION.
I ASK WHY DO WE HAVE TO LIVE
IN FEAR AND BE SO AFRAID WHEN WE
CAME HERE LOOKING FOR SAFETY?
PLEASE, NO MORE
PERSECUTION, NO MORE I.
C.E. WE CAME HERE TO FIND
SAFETY, WE'RE --
WE'RE ASYLUM
SEEKERS BECAUSE OF THE
SITUATION BACK IN OUR HOME
COUNTRY.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
I JUST WANT TO SAY MY
SITUATION AND
WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH
ISN'T JUST. IT'S NOT RIGHT.
I.C.E. OUT. THANK YOU.
>> I.C.E. OUT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> AND YOU'RE MYREN?
>> MILAN.
>> AND THIS IS ASMAYRA?
>> Translator: HI, I'M
REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY
WITHOUT BORDERS AND I'VE BEEN IN
THIS COUNTRY FOR THREE YEARS.
THESE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN
REALLY HEAVY FOR ME.
ESPECIALLY AFTER MY
SURGERY WHERE THEY HAD TO REMOVE
MY ENTIRE LEFT BREAST DUE TO
CANCER.
RIGHT NOW I DO NOT HAVE MEDICAL
INSURANCE.
THAT WOULD COVER MANY PROCEDURES
THAT I ACTUALLY STILL
NEED. IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO
WORK.
I DON'T HAVE A WAY TO PAY MY
RENT.
I ACTUALLY OWE TWO
MONTHS. THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> Translator: GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS SIGLENI.
I'M ALSO UNDER A LOT OF
STRESS RIGHT NOW.
I HAD SOME WORK BUT
JUST THIS DECEMBER THEY'VE CUT
ME DOWN TO
VERY, VERY FEW DAYS.
I FEEL -- I FEEL
NERVOUS TO GO OUT OF MY HOUSE
AND ONTO
THE STREET TO EVEN LOOK
FOR WORK BECAUSE OF I.C.E.
I CAN ALSO APPLY THROUGH MY
PHONE BUT BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE
THE FUNDS TO COVER MY PHONE
BILL, I ACTUALLY AM NOT ABLE
TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THOSE
APPLICATIONS.
AND I WANT TO WORK.
I ACTUALLY REALLY WANT TO FIND
A JOB, BUTBUT I YOU TO
GET I.C.E. OUT OF THE COMMUNITY.
TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY GO OUT
INTO THE CITY, MAKE A LIFE,
BE ABLE TO MOVE AROUND
WITHOUT LIVING IN FEAR.
AND TO BE ABLE TO COVER THE
BASIC NEEDS.
I WASN'T ABLE TO COVER
THIS MONTH'S RENT AND, IN FACT,
JUST
A FEW DAYS AGO, THERE WAS I.C.E.
ALL AROUND MY HOUSE AND THE
AREA I'M LIVING IN, AND SO
YOU'RE
BASICALLY JUST INSIDE LIVING IN
FEAR. YOU'RE SCARED.
SO WE WANT YOU TO TAKE OUR WORD
FOR WHAT WE'RE SAYING AND HAVE
UNITY AND GET ICE OUT OF OUR
COMMUNITIES.
AND, SECONDLY, TO
SUPPORT US WITH THE RESOURCES TO
BE ABLE
TO COVER OUR RENT EVEN FOR ONE
OR
TWO MONTHS WHILE WE TRY TO FIND
WORK.
WE ACTUALLY REALLY
WANT TO WORK. WE DON'T WANT TO
BE A BURDEN.
IF YOU CAN GET I.C.E. OUT OF
OUR CITY, WE CAN LIVE MORE
PEACEFULLY. THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> Translator: WE ALSO JUST WANT
TO QUICKLY SHARE THAT WE WANT
SUPPORT WITH TWO PETITIONS
THAT WE HAVE.
I KNOW IT'S COMPLICATED
TO TALK ABOUT I.C.E.
WE KNOW THAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE
JURISDICTION ON ALL THE AREAS
TO MAKE MOVES IN THE SITUATION.
BUT I
THINK YOU SHOULD MAKE THE EFFORT
TO DO WHAT YOU CAN.
BUT, IN THE MEANTIME, I
THINK YOU HAVE SOME OF THE
CONTEXT
FOR EVEN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN
OUR HOME COUNTRY IN VENEZUELA.
THE TRANSITIONS THAT
ARE HAPPENING THERE ARE NOT
GOING
TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
IN THE
MEANTIME, OUR HOME IS IN THIS
COUNTRY.
AND SO, AS I REPEAT, WE HAVE
TWO
PETITIONS THAT WE NEED SUPPORT
WITH.
WE NEED RESOURCES TO BE ABLE
TO FIND LEGAL AID FOR OUR
IMMIGRATION CASES
AND ALSO SUPPORT WITH RESOURCES
FOR
HOUSING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE JONATHAN AND THEN
FOLLOWED BY CASSANDRA AND THEN
ARIES.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE MORE
PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP AS
WELL.
WELCOME, MR. JONATHAN.
>> HELLO.
FIRST, I WANT TO START OFF
BY GROUNDING OURSELVES.
YESTERDAY WAS DECEMBER --
SORRY, WAS FEBRUARY 2nd, AND
THIS
IS BACK ON DECEMBER 2nd WE
HAD SEEN THAT CHRISTIAN NELSON
WAS
MURDERED BY SPD AND THAT
THEY SHOT UP AN APARTMENT
BUILDING
AND THEY SENT A RESIDENT
TO THE
HOSPITAL. AND THIS WAS THE
CONTEXT
FROM OUR ORGANIZATION TO LAUNCH
A
CAMPAIGN, JUSTICE FOR CHRISTIAN
NELSON AND SINCE THEN WE
HAVE CONTINUED TO COME BACK.
WE HAVE CONTINUED TO BE MORE
ORGANIZED, AND NOW AS I.C.E.
HAS BEGUN TO HIT THE STREETS, WE
HAVE LAUNCHED ANOTHER CAMPAIGN.
THIS IS OUR I.C.E.
OUT OF SEATTLE CAMPAIGN WITH
SOME DEMANDS SUCH AS END
SURVEILLANCE
NOW, I.C.E. OFF CITY GROUNDS
NOW, SERVICES NOT
SURVEILLANCE, AND AS WELL SOME
OTHER POINTS,
BUT I WANTED TO ECHO ON THE
OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTARY
WHERE HE IS ACTUALLY ABLE TO
ENGAGE WITH
COUNCILMEMBERS, SO I WANTED
TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR AND
TO WHO I WANT TOTO DIRECTLY IS
TO
JOYJOY AND I JUST
WANTED TO POSE THIS IN TERMS OF
DIRECTLY, DOES IT MAKE SENSE
TO HAVE ROBERT KETTLE, WHO IS A
WAR CRIMINAL, TO BE THE CHAIR
OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THE CITY OF
SEATTLE?
NOW I'LL GIVE YOU MAYBE, LIKE
THREE SECONDS, TO ANSWER
YES OR NO.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO
ANSWER, THAT'S TOTALLY FINE,
BECAUSE YOU ARE SITTING RIGHT
NEXT TO HIM.
I UNDERSTAND THAT DYNAMIC.
I'LL GIVE A QUICK COUNT.
SO NO ANSWER.
REGARDLESS, I THINK IT DOESN'T
MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A
WAR CRIMINAL SERVING TO
PROTECT OTHER CRIMINALS ON THE
CITY OF
SEATTLE.
HE WAS VERY HAPPY WHEN HE
VOTED TO RENEW THEIR CONTRACT
AND
GIVE THEM LESS ACCOUNTABILITY
AND,
YOU KNOW, I THINK AT THE
END OF THE DAY I UNDERSTAND THAT
THESE
COUNCILMEMBERS -- [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, MR. JONATHAN.
THANK YOU, JONATHAN.
[ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, JONATHAN.
[ INAUDIBLE ]
.
>> THANK YOU, JONATHAN. [
APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU, JONATHAN.
NEXT WE HAVE CASSANDRA
FOLLOWED BY ARIES FOLLOWED BY
K'ANDRE.
>> I ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES THIS
TIME. I'M
CASSANDRA. AS YOU SAW I WORK
VERY
CLOSELY WITH THE MIGRANT
COMMUNITY.
I'M PART OF AN ORGANIZATION
THAT
IS PART OF THE
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE OF PEOPLE
STRUGGLE WHO
IS HERE TODAY.
WE'RE ALSO PART OF
INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS ALLIANCE,
AND
ALONGSIDE THE MIGRANTS THAT YOU
SAW,
THESE WOMEN HAVE BEEN FIGHTING
FOR HOUSING AND FOR RESOURCES
FOR MIGRANTS FOR QUITE A FEW
YEARS.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY A LARGE
PART OF THE REASON WHY THE
PROGRAM
EVEN EXISTS IN WASHINGTON STATE.
THEY HAD MEETINGS WITH
THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE,
WITH FOLKS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL,
AND
WHERE THEY SPOKE TODAY AT THE
CITY TO REALLY SHARE
THEIR TEMPERATURES IN
REGARDSREGARDS
WHAT WAS SHARED THE ONE DETAIL I
WANT
TO UPLIFT IS HER
DAUGHTER, WHO HAS TO GO INTO
COURT ALONE IS 6
YEARS OLD, WHICH IS
DISTURBING THAT CHILDREN HAVE TO
GO
INTO COURT AND REPRESENT
THEMSELVES.
BUT WE'RE ALSO SEEING
THE INCREASE IN I.C.E. RAIDS.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE ONE OF
THE LARGEST DETENTION CENTERS IN
THE
STATE, AND WE KNOW THAT I.C.E.
IN OUR COMMUNITIES IS
PUTTING EVERYONE AT RISK, AND WE
ARE SEEING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN
MINNEAPOLIS. WE ALSO HAVE SEEN
WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THIS STATE,
AND
SO WE'RE HERE AS THE
INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS ALLIANCE,
AS THE
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE OF PEOPLE
STRUGGLE, MANY GRASSROOTS
ORGANIZATIONS, TO PLEASE DO
YOUR JOBS, GO BEYOND WHAT YOUR
JOBS CAN DO AND REALLY KICK
I.C.E.
OUT OF SEATTLE.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, ARIES.
NEXT WE HAVE K'
ANDRE FOLLOWED BY LADY SCRIBE
AND THEN SOLOMON.
K'ANDRE, WELCOME.
>> HELLO.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.
I SAW THAT COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA PUT OUT LEGISLATION FOR
PROTECTING IMMIGRANTS
AND I WANTED TO FOCUS ON SECTION
B, SEATTLE POLICE OFFICERS ARE
EXEMPT FROM LIMITATIONS
IMPOSED BY SUBSECTION 4.18.15. A
WITH RESPECT TO A PERSON WHOM
THE
OFFICER HAS REASONABLE
SUSPICION TO BELIEVE THAT, ONE,
HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN DEPORTED,
TWO, IS AGAIN PRESENT IN THE
UNITED
STATES, THREE,
COMMITTING OR
HAVE COMMITTED A FELONY. I
WANTED TO ASK,
WHAT IS REASONABLE SUSPICION?
AND HOW EXACTLY DOES GIVING THE
SPD ALREADY AN ORGANIZATIONORGAN
IZATION
A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS DON'T FEEL SAFE WITH,
HOW
IS THIS EITHER HELPING THEM
AND MAKING
US FEEL SAFER? PERFECT.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
AND, KATIE WILSON'S PROMISE TO
DO SOMETHING, SHE SAID
THAT SHE WAS GOING TO FOCUS ON A
$4 MILLION ALLOCATION TO
AFFECTED
COMMUNITIES. HOW DO WE KNOW
WHERE THIS
MONEY IS GOING?
BECAUSE, AS WE JUST HEARD, WE
HAVE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WHO AREN'T ABLE TO GET
HOUSING,
WHO AREN'T ABLE TO PAY
INSURANCE AND
MEDICAL BILLS.
SO HOW CAN WE ACTUALLY MAKE
SURE THAT MONEY GETS BACK INTO
THE
COMMUNITY? PERFECT.
THANK YOU.
WE NEED SERVICES, GUYS, NOT
SURVEILLANCE. THERE'S SO MUCH
MONEY THAT COULD
BE ALLOCATED TO THE
AFFECTED COMMUNITIES AND, AGAIN,
WE DON'T
KNOW WHERE THE MONEY IS
GOING AND HOW WE'RE MADE ANY
SAFER BECAUSE OF
IT.
SO, THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT WE
HAVE LADY SCRIBE. FOR THE
RECORD, THE
LEGISLATION THAT COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA
HAS PUT FORTH IS GOING TO
OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
THAT COMMITTEE MEETS ON
FEBRUARY 10th AT 9:30.
THE $4 MILLION THAT WAS ACTUALLY
ALLOCATED, IT WAS
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK AMENDMENT
FROM
COUNCIL THAT WAS PASSED LAST
YEAR,
GOES DIRECTLY TO OFFICE OF
IMMIGRANT
AND REFUGEE SERVICESSERVICES
THEN FIGURES OUT THE RFP FOR
THOSE
FUNDS. AND I KNOW THAT IS --
THAT IS
OVERSIGHT THAT CAN HAPPEN AT
COUNCIL AND WITH THE OFFICE
OF IMMIGRANT REFUGEE SERVICES
AND WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AS
WELL.
THOSE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE
YOU BRINGING THOSE UP.
I WANTED JUST TO PROVIDE
THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU AS
WELL.
>> HOW PUBLIC ARE --
[ INAUDIBLE ].
>> I'M NOT SURE.
I CAN ANSWER THE QUESTIONS
AFTER. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE
THOSE -- THOSE ARE THE CONCRETE
FACTS ON
THOSE.
THANK YOU.
MISS LADY SCRIBE FOLLOWED
BY SOLOMON ONLY ONE WINNER
PRINCE.
ONLY ONE WISER PRINCE.
THEN NATHAN AND ARIEL.
>> OKAY.
YES, MY NAME IS LADY SCRIBE.
I AM A LEGACY RESIDENT
OF SEATTLE, AND THE FOUNDER OF
THE SEATTLE SOUND MUSIC
AWARDS, FAMILY
FOUNDATION. I HAVE PROBABLY
RALLIED FOR
A LOT OF YOU GUYS.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE
ARE DEFINITELY ASKING IN
COMMUNITY TO GET TO OUR MAYOR'S
OFFICE.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS
SHORTLY A LITTLE BIT OVER A 30-
DAY
TRANSITION. WE GET IT.
BUT WE NEED IMMEDIATE
FUNDING RIGHT NOW TO BE
RELEASED.
WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE
CIRCLES TO GO THROUGH THE
COUNCIL AND
SAY, HEY, WE NEED A
MILLION DOLLARS.
WE WANT A MILLION DOLLARS.
WE WILL EMAIL YOU
GUYS INDIVIDUALLY EVERYTHING
THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, BUT WE
NEED THIS MONEY RELEASED SO WE
CAN HAVE A BLACK SEATTLE TO
BLACK
SEATTLE CONVERSATION.
THIS IS NOT A SEATTLE
CONVERSATION AND TRUST THAT WITH
THE DEATHS OF OUR YOUTH
WE CANNOT CONTINUOUSLY ASK
PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES TO
HANDLE
SITUATIONS WE NEED TO HANDLE
OURSELVES.
I WANT I.C.E. OUT, TOO.
I'M AFRAID FOR MY SON GOING TO
SCHOOL.
I'M AFRAID EVERY TIME. I CAN'T
HINDER HIM IN GROWING AS
A YOUNG BLACK MAN. I HAVE TO
PRAY AND HOPE THAT HE
COMES HOME SAFELY, EVEN IN THE
WINTER, I HAVE TO TELL HIM,
DO NOT WEAR YOUR HOODIE.
THIS CONVERSATION, WHEN I SAY
I WANT I.C.E. OUT, TOO, THIS
IS OUR PASSPORT INITIATIVE AS
WELL.
WE AS BLACK
INDIGENOUS AMERICANS ARE THE
ONLY ONES NOT PROTECTED.
OUR IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES COME
HERE WITH TWO AND THREE
PASSPORTS.
MY MOTHER IS JAMAICAN AND
AFRICAN. MY BROTHER.
WE ARE ALL HERE.
WE UNDERSTAND IT.
I'M LITERALLY TALKING
TO THOSE BORN IN SEATTLE, THOSE
BORN
IN AMERICA
BLACK RESIDENTS. WE ARE
UNPROTECTED.
WE DO NOT HAVE PASSPORTS, SO
IF WE GET PICKED UP,
WHERE DO WE GO?
WE CANNOT FLY OUT, WE DON'T HAVE
$45.
WE'RE
GOING TO BE SITTING OVER THERE
FOR TWO MORE
HOURS TRYING TO VERIFY
OURSELVES.
WE NEED THE CITY OF SEATTLE TO
REACT.
I KNOW THAT I'M OUT OF
TIME BUT I GET SO WRAPPED UP IN
EMOTION
BECAUSE BECAUSE NEED TO BE
ABLE TO HAVE A VOICE FOR BLACK
SEATTLE.
>> THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU, LADY SCRIBE.
NEXT WE HAVE SOLOMON FOLLOWED BY
NATHAN FOLLOWED BY ARIEL.
NO AURALLE ROSE.
GIVE ME ONE SECOND, SOLOMON.
NEXT I HAVE SOLOMON,
WHO IS HERE.
I HAVE NATHAN. IS NATHAN HERE?
TO THE LEFT.
AND THEN AURALLEE ROSE.
IS THAT
YOU? I'M SORRY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AURALLEE ROSE, I DO NOT HAVE
YOU.
YOU CAN STILL SIGN UP IF YOUYOU
WANT RIGHT AFTER -- [ INAUDIBLE
] .
>> WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
[ INAUDIBLE ].
>> I SEE.
YOU WERE NUMBER 26.
OKAY, AFTER SOLOMON, YOU WILL
BE
NEXT. THAT'S MY BAD.
AND, SOLOMON, ONLY ONE WISER.
YOU JUST HAD A BIRTHDAY?
>> WHO,
ME?
>> DID YOU?
>> I HAVE A BIRTHDAY COMING IN
A COUPLE WEEKS.
>> NEVER MIND, I'M SORRY.
MY BAD.
>> YES, MY NAME IS SOLOMON ONLY
ONE WISER PRINCE.
I AM THE FOUNDER OF
THE
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION AND ALSO
CO-FOUNDER OF THREE KINGS BOXING
GYM, THE AURORA AVENUE CORRIDOR
OF NORTH SEATTLE.
I AM A NATIVE
AND FROM THE CITY
OF SEATTLE. WHAT I'M HERE TO DO
IS TRYING TO
CALL FOR FUNDING FOR THE THREE
KINGS DOJO TO ALLOCATE FOR
AT-RISK YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY,
OKAY.
ACCESS AND EQUITY. WHAT WE'RE
ASKING FOR IS JUST A
SIMPLE WAY TO HAVE STRUCTURE AND
DISCIPLINE AS A SAFE PLACE TO
BE FOR THESE KIDS BUT COST IS
THE
BARRIER. CITY FUNDING WOULD
ALLOW US
TO OFFER FREE OR LOW- COST
TRAINING
SO FINANCES NEVER DECIDE
WHETHER A CHILD GETS MENTORSHIP,
DISCIPLINE, AND THEN WILL HAVE
A POSITIVE OUTLET.
VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND
PUBLIC SAFETY IS ALSO WHAT WE
OFFER
WITH HAVING THIS
GYM. WE ALL KNOW THAT HOURS
AFTER SCHOOL ARE THE MOST
CRITICAL.
THAT'S WHEN KIDS ARE
MOST VULNERABLE TO NEGATIVE
INFLUENCES.
BOXING ISN'T ABOUT
FIGHTING, IT'S ABOUT SELF-
CONTROL,
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND RESPECT.
EVERY HOUR A CHILD IS IN OUR GYM
IS AN HOUR THEY ARE NOT IN THE
STREETS.
WE HAVE PROVEN GRASSROOTS.
WE ARE ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY.
FAMILIES TRUST US, KIDS SHOW UP
CONSISTENTLY, COACHES KNOW THEIR
NAMES. CITY
INVESTMENT WOULDN'T BE STARTING
SOMETHING NEW
BUT
STRENGTHENING WHAT IS ALREADY
WORKING.
WHAT FUNDING SUPPORTS IS
SAFETY, EQUIPMENT AND STABLE
FACILITY
ACCESS, THAT STABILITY ALLOWS US
TO BE CONSISTENT AND CONSISTENCY
IS WHAT CHANGES LIVES.
ACCOUNTABILITY AND OUTCOMES.
WE BELIEVE IN ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE TRACK ATTENDANCE,
PARTICIPATION, AND YOUTH
PROGRESS.
WE SEE IMPROVEMENT IN
CONFIDENCE, SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT
AND BEHAVIOR.
THIS IS A SMART INVESTMENT
WITH MEASURED OUTCOMES.
I JUST HAVE ONE MORE.
WHEN YOU INVEST IN OUR
YOUTH, YOU INVEST IN
SAFER NEIGHBORHOODS, STRONGER
FAMILIES
AND A HEALTHIER SEATTLE.
WE ARE ASKING THE CITY TO STAND
WITH US SO EVERY CHILD DESERVES
AN INCOME LEVEL
FOR A FIGHTING CHANCE A LIFE TO
SUCCEED.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, SOLOMON.
NEXT WE HAVE ARIES FOLLOWED
BY NATHAN AND THEN AURALLEE.
WELCOME.
AND I APOLOGIZE I SKIPPED
OVER
YOU. MY BAD.
>> YOU'RE OKAY.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU FOR
THE GRACE.
ANY MICROPHONE YOU WANT.
>> AS WE STATED LAST TIME WE ARE
BACK WITH MORE PEOPLE, MORE
DEMANDS, WELL, THE SAME DEMANDS.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE DIRECTLY
IMPACTED BY THE DECISIONS
THAT YOU GUYS ARE NOT MAKING.
WE ARE HERE WITH MOREMORE
ORGANIZATIONS. THEY ACTUALLY ARE
RIGHT
OUTSIDE WITH SOME OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS.
TO STAND HERE AND PROVE THAT
WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY,
ARE HAVING TO STAND UP AND UNITE
BECAUSE YOU GUYS AREN'T MAKING
THE RIGHT DECISIONS.
YOU AREN'T HELPING
THE COMMUNITY
WITH THE DEMANDS THAT WE ARE
ASKING.
I'M
SORRY. I LOST MY PLACE.
>> YOU'RE GOOD.
IT HAS BEEN ONE MONTH SINCE
CHRISTIAN NELSON WAS MURDERED
BY THE SEATTLE POLICE DURING
A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
WE ARE HERE TO DEMAND THAT WE
EXPEDITE - - THAT YOU GUYS
EXPEDITE OUR DEMANDS TO PROTECT
THE PEOPLE OF OUR CITY.
WE NEED I.C.E. OFF CITY GROUNDS.
WE NEED I.C.E. OUT NOW.
WE NEED SERVICE NOT
SURVEILLANCE, AND
WE'RE ASKING THAT THE $4
MILLION THAT
WAS DIRECTED -- SHOULD BE
DIRECTED
TO THE PEOPLE DIRECTLY IMPACTED
BY THIS, NOT THE ORGANIZATIONS.
AS WE SAID LAST TIME, IF OUR
DEMANDS ARE NOT MET, WE
WILL BE BACK AGAIN WITH MORE
PEOPLE,
THE SAME DEMANDS, UNTIL YOU GUYS
ACTUALLY FIX IT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, ARIES.
[ APPLAUSE ]
NEXT WE HAVE NATHAN FOLLOWED BY
AURALLEE.
NATHAN FOLLOWED BY AURALLEE.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO SEATTLE IS A
CITY
OF IMMIGRANTS AND TRANSPLANTS.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN,
AND ONE OF THE GREAT
THINGS ABOUT THE CITY IS THAT NO
MATTER WHEN YOU MOVED HERE, NO
MATTER WHEN YOU CAME HERE,
YOU'RE
STILL PART OF THE CITY.
I THINK IT'S WORTH NOTING
THAT THE MAJORITY OF
OUR COUNCILMEMBERS CHOSE TO LIVE
IN
SEATTLE.
THEY WEREN'T BORN HERE.
AND THAT IS
A GOOD THING BECAUSE WE'RE A
CITYCITY
WELCOMES YOU, BUT WE DON'T
WELCOME I.C.E.
IN THIS CITY BECAUSE THEY'RE
TRYING TO DESTROY OUR
COMMUNITIES AND TEAR FAMILIES
APART AND THAT'S
WRONG.
IN THIS COUNTRY YOU HAVE
FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS,
SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS, FOURTH
AMENDMENT RIGHTS, FIFTH,
SIXTH, TENTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
ALEX PRETTI AND RENEE GOODE WERE
EXERCISING THEIR RIGHTS. YOU
DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH
WHAT THEY DID TO RESPECT THEIR
RIGHTS TO
DO IT. I DON'T AGREE WITH ALEX
TSIMERMAN'S WORDS, BUT HE
HAS THE RIGHT TO SPEAK.
IT'S THE SAME IDEA.
THEY WERE NOT CRIMINALS.
THEY WERE NOT DOING
ANYTHING WRONG.
THEY WERE DEFENDING PEOPLE
IN THEIR COMMUNITY THAT WERE
BEING TARGETED BY MASKED
GESTAPO
AGENTS. THERE IS NO WORLD IN
WHICH YOU
CAN JUSTIFY WHAT HAPPENED TO
THEM, AND I JUST WANT TO
SAY EVERYBODY HERE NEEDS TO
KEEP EXERCISING
THEIR CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED
RIGHTS.
WE CANNOT COMPLY IN ADVANCE WITH
THIS REGIME. WE NEED TO READ THE
EPSTEIN
FILES. WE NEED TO KEEP SPEAKING
OUT AND
SAYING WHAT WE THINK,
BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT HE WANTS TO
TAKE AWAY FROM
US. SO DON'T COMPLY IN ADVANCE.
RESIST THE COUP.
READ THE EPSTEIN FILES.
CREEP CRITICIZING TRUMP.
THIS REGIME IS ABOUT TO FALL AND
IT'S BECAUSE WE WILL NOT STAND
FOR IT.
HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE ARE GOING
TO STAND FOR TRUMP'S
ABUSES OF OUR CONSTITUTION?
I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE
IS GOING TO STAND FOR THAT.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE UP
HERE BELIEVES IN THAT.
WE DISAGREE ON IS A VARIETY
OF ISSUES BUT WE AGREE
IMMIGRANTS
BELONG IN OUR COMMUNITIES
AND THESE RAIDS ARE WRONG.
I.C.E. OUT NOW AND JUSTICE FOR
RENEE, ALEX, AND CHRIS PORTER.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, NATHAN.
NEXT WE HAVE AURALLEE FOLLOWED
BY RC.
AND THEN WE HAVE MORE AND
THEN WE'LL SWITCH TO ONLINE.
WELCOME AURALLEE.
YOU CAN DO ANY MIC YOU WANT THAT
WORKS FOR YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
MY NAME IS AURALLEE ROSE,
A PACIFIC NORTHWEST NATIVE,
OTTAWA AND RESIDENT OF FIRST
HILL
SEATTLE.
THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON, AND ITS AFFILIATED
CAMPUSES, ARE
IRRESPONSIBLY DEVELOPING NEXT
GENERATION ENERGY WEAPONS
AND PERVASIVE
SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES T.
UNAVOIDABLE KNOWLEDGE FOR EVERY
CITIZEN IN
THIS CITY, YOU SHOULD
KNOW ABOUT THE RADIOACTIVE
CHEMICALS SEEPING INTO OUR LAND.
I AM HEREBY SUBMITTING A
FORMAL COMPLAINT AND HEREBY
DEMAND A
COMPREHENSIVE
INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION BY THE
SHERIFF'S
INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS
UNIT INTO THESE ALLEGATIONS OF
MISCONDUCT
AND POTENTIAL MISUSE OF
SURVEILLANCE
ININ ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND
FLAGRANT
VIOLATIONS OF MY CIVIL RIGHTS.
WHEN I SOUGHT ASSISTANCE VIAVIA
EMAIL, JOY ASSURED ME OF A
PHONE CALL, ONLY TO TELL ME SHE
COULDN'T HELP ME.
FURTHERMORE, 250 YEARS
LATER, I'M HERE ON AMERICAN
SOIL.
I'M ALSO THE GREAT-
GRANDDAUGHTER OF OUR FIRST
AMERICAN GENERAL OF
THE ARMY.
SO HERE I AM 250 YEARS LATER
BEING SURVEILLED BY MY EX
AND IT'S NOT ONLY ME, 10,000
CAN QUERY THIS DATABASE AND
SEARCH YOU AND YOU AND YOU AND
ME
AND BLACK LIVES MATTER AND
CONGRESS AND ANYBODY THEY WANT,
SURVIVORS, PROTESTERS, PEOPLE
WHO ARE FLEEING FROM DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE.
THEY CAN GO INTO SHELTERS,
AND IT'S PROFOUNDLY DANGEROUS
AND, FRANKLY, INDEFENSIBLE
FOR SOMEONE LIKE MY EX WITH THE
EPA
TO CHECK OUT A WEAPON FROM THE
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND
WHO HAS ASSAULT FOUR ON HIS
RECORD
AND VIOLENT TENDENCIES, ANDAND
THIS
ARRANGEMENT
IMPERILS INNOCENT LIVES AND
ERODES --
[ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, AURALLEE.
[ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WE HAVE THREE LAST IN-PERSON
SPEAKERS BEFORE WE JUMP TO
ONLINE. WE HAVE RC FOLLOWED BY
KEISHA McGEHEE AND THEN LIZ
PARK.
YOU CAN USE EITHER MICROPHONE.
ANY ONE YOU WANT.
RC?
>> CITY COUNCIL, GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS RC DEMINGS,
A SEATTLE
NATIVE. I GRADUATED FROM
GARFIELD
HIGH SCHOOL MANY MOONS AGO, AND
I WANT TO SHARE A FEW THINGS
WITH
YOU, PLEASE.
PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION
IS PRIMARY ENFORCEMENT.
PREVENTION AND
INTERVENTION WILL STOP
ENFORCEMENT IF IT'S USED
PROPERLY. WE NEED EVERYONE
IN THE COMMUNITY THE PLAY A PART
IN
INTERVENTION. THESE THINGS
SHOULD
BE EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY.
THIS CLEARLY MEANS THAT WE MUST
SUPPORT OUR CHIEF AND
HIS COMMAND STAFF.
THIS IS A MAN WHO PRIORITIZES
PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION
KNOWING THAT HE UNDERSTANDS
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF
ENFORCEMENT.
HE'S DETERMINED TO DO IT THE
RIGHT WAY.
I LEARNED THIS FROM JOHN
FREDERICK HAYES WHO SERVED 39
YEARS IN EVERY COMMUNITY FOR
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT,
AND
IT DOES
WORK. SHON BARNES IS TRYING TO
DO
THE SAME THING SO LET'S PLEASE
GIVE
HIM A TIME AND A CHANCE TO
COME OUT WITH EFFECTIVE
OUTCOMES.
JOHN HAYES WAS AT RAINIER
BEACH HIGH SCHOOL AND SPOKE TO
THE GROUP OF KIDS AND TOLD THEM
TO MAKE SURE EVERY KID THAT YOU
INTERACT WITH DOESN'T GET
INTO TROUBLE.
HE ALSO TOLD THESE KIDS THAT
THE BEST REVENGE IS MASSIVE
SUCCESS
AND IF WE BELIEVE IN THAT,
THEN NO CRIMES WOULD BE
COMMITTED.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU
SEATTLE CITY COUNCILMEN,
PEOPLE WHO CAME OUT TO
THE RAINIER BEACH AREA THIS PAST
WEEKEND.
IT WAS A GREAT TRAGEDY
BUT, GUESS WHAT, IF OUR MINDS
CAN CONCEIVE IT, OUR HEARTS CAN
BELIEVE IT, WITH GOD'S HELP WE
CAN ACHIEVE IT.
WE HAVE TO PUT OUR BEST
FOOT FORWARD AND DO THINGS TO
STAND
IN OUR COMMUNITIES, LIKE
YESTERDAY, BETWEEN FRIDAY
AND YESTERDAY IS LIKE 200 TO
300 PEOPLE OUT THERE.
IF THE
PERSON THAT SAW THAT BEFORE IT
HAPPENED
WOULD HAVE SAW
ALL OF US THERE, THERE'S NO WAY
IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
AND, JOY, I WILL GIVE YOU A
PASS. I KNOW WERE
YOU BUSY AND WOULD HAVE COME OUT
IF YOU HAD
A CHANCE AND SO FORTH.
I DO GET THAT AND I
DO UNDERSTAND THAT.
LEAN ON US, TOO, BECAUSE WE'RE
COMING TO YOU SO,
THEREFORE, IT'S YOUR TURN TO
COME TO US
TO HELP FACILITATE -- [
INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, RC.
[ APPLAUSE ]
NEXT WE HAVE -- AND
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU, RC.
NEXT WE HAVE KEISHA McGEHEE.
IS KEISHA McGEHEE HERE?
I THINK I SAW HER SIGN UP.
KEISHA McGEHEE.
I'LL SAY THAT AGAIN, KEISHA
McGEHEE.
NO?
OKAY.
LIZ PARK?
LIZ PARK, WELCOME, AND THANK
YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS LIZ AND I'M HERE
TOTO
THE
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE OF PEOPLE
STRUGGLE, A
GLOBAL GRASSROOTS ALLIANCE
OF MIGRANT WORKERS AND PEASANT
AND
MANY OTHER PRO- PEOPLE
ORGANIZATIONS. I AM HERE TO
UPLIFT THE CALLS OF
THE VERY PEOPLE IN THIS
ROOM. WE'RE HERE WITH
YOU TO STAND AND TO DEMAND FROM
YOU MORE.
IT IS THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM
WHO MAKE THIS CITY RUN.
IT IS THE PEOPLE IN THIS
ROOM WHO SHOULD HAVE THE POWER.
IT IS THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM
THAT PUT YOU IN YOUR
SEATS. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO
MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO ENJOY
OUR MORNING COFFEES, THE FOOD ON
OUR TABLES, THE CLOTHES ON OUR
BACKS.
SO IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, RECENTLY
THE UW CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
PUT OUT A REPORT ON HOW THE
DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING
IS WORKING WITH I.C.E. TO
SURVEIL THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE IT
MORE EFFECTIVE TO KIDNAP
OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THIS IS WHY, AND THIS IS
EXACTLY WHY WE CANNOT HAVE MORE
CCTVs
IN OUR COMMUNITY. CITY COUNCIL,
IT IS WHY YOU
MUST ALSO DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU
CAN TO REVERSE THIS.
BECAUSE WE CANNOT HAVE
MORE SURVEILLANCE IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
MORE CCTVs, MORE
SURVEILLANCE IS NOT WHAT'S
GOING TO MAKE OUR
CITY SAFER.
WE HAVE SEEN IT BEFORE IN
HISTORY, RIGHT?
THE PEOPLE NEED HEALTH CARE.
THEY NEED EDUCATION.
THEY NEED SERVICES.
THEY NEED HOUSING.
THEY NEED
SURVEILLANCE -- THEY NEED IS
YOUR ADVICES NOT
SURVEILLANCE. WE'RE URGING YOU
TODAY FOR THE
CITY TO TAKE
A STANCE BECAUSE YOU HERE MUST
TAKE A
STANCE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE
TAKING A
STANCE.
THE PEOPLE ARE TAKING A STAND.
EVERY DAY IN THE STREETS, THEY
ARE BUILDING COMMUNITY
RESPONSE NETWORKS IN THEIR
SCHOOLS,
IN THEIR WORK PLACES.
PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, URGING YOU
TO TAKE AND DO MORE.
[ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, LIZ. [ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ONLINE
NOW.
DAVID HAYNES, PLEASE PRESS STAR
6 TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
>> HI, THANK YOU.
DAVID HAYNES.
THERE WAS 133 HOMICIDES IN 2025
IN BALTIMORE AND 311
SHOOTINGS AND JUST THIS YEAR
ALONEALONE
WERE SEVEN DEATHS IN 16
DAYS, AND OUR CITY GOVERNMENT
ACTING LIKE THE BEST PRACTICES
ARE
COPYING BLUE CITIES ELSEWHERE
ARE APPLYING GUN
VIOLENCE PREVENTION BASED ON
BALTIMORE,
AND WE KNOW THAT IN OUR
BUDGET IN SEATTLE THERE ARE
CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING
AROUND
THROUGH NONPROFITS THAT
ARE PAYING GUN- TOTING CRIMINALS
TO
RELOCATE TO A DIFFERENT CITY
IFIF
DON'T RETALIATE AND
OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CITY ARE
BEING PAID TWO MONTHS'
RENT AND A BUNCH OF FOOD FROM
THE
GROCERY STORE BECAUSE GOING TO
THE
FOOD BANK FOR THE CRIMINAL IS
BENEATH
THEM BASED ON THE IDEA THEY'RE
GOING TO ROB SOMEBODY TO
MAKE RENT.
IT'S A DIFFERENT CITY THAT
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WANTED
TO
GO TRAVEL TO THAT JUSTIFIES
COMING
BACK WITH SOME WORKING VACATION
WE HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THE
SAME BAD POLICY RUNNING
INTERFERENCE FOR EVIL CRIMINALS.
WE STILL HAVE A HOMELESS
CRISIS HERE IN SEATTLE.
WE HAVE A HOUSING
CRISIS SABOTAGED BY THE
LANDLORDS ON
THE CITY COUNCIL WHO
PUT RESTRICTIONS ON
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND WE
HAVE
A PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS WHERE YOU
ALL ARE PRIORITIZING
REPEAT OFFENDERS THAT ARE
CONNECTED
FOR THE CRIMINAL UNDERWORLD WHO
ARE CONDUCTING ONE CIVIL WAR
WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU
PRIDE YOURSELF ON
RACISTLY DISCRIMINATING AGAINST
INNOCENT
WHITE, HOUSELESS CITIZENS
WHO ARE SUBHUMAN, MISTREATED
AND DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.
AND WE HAVE A MAIN STREET
REACTIVATION
CRISIS BECAUSE THE POLICE CHIEF
THINKS THAT
HE'S THE SMARTEST GUY IN TOWN
WHEN IT
COMES TO MANIPULATING
THE PERCEPTIONS OF SAFETY BY
LYING ABOUT THE 911 CRIME HOT
SPOT AND
THE OTHER PART OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> THANK YOU, MR. HAYNES.
ARE THERE ANY MORE ADDITIONAL
SPEAKERS THAT HAVE NOT SIGNED UP
WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT ALL?
OKAY.
AWESOME. SO THAT IS GOING TO --
WE'VE REACHED THE END --
WE'VE REACHED THE END OF THE
LIST OF
OUR REGISTERED SPEAKERS AND
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW
CLOSED.
I DO WANT TO SINCERELY THANK ALL
THE PEOPLE THAT CAME CAME TODAY.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S PEOPLE
THAT ARE ALWAYS WATCHING ONLINE.
THERE'S PEOPLE THAT WATCH
THIS VIDEO LATER ON IN THE
EVENING
OR
DOWN THE LINE. THE PEOPLE WHO
HAVE SENT IN
PUBLIC COMMENTS VIA EMAIL.
MAYBE IT'S THE FOLKS THAT WE
MEET ON THE
STREET AS WELL AND ALSO FOLKS
THAT WE GET TO
MEET EVERY SINGLE DAY, THE
COMMUNITY AS WHOLE, AND THERE'S
A TON
OF PEOPLE AND SO PUBLIC
COMMENT HAPPENS IN SO MANY
DIFFERENT
WAYS.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE
FOR THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT
REGARDING THE CURRENT ISSUES
THAT
ARE GOING ON IN OUR CITY AS
WELL. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO
TRANSITION FROM OUR PUBLIC
COMMENT
INTO SOME OF OUR AGENDA.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
CALENDAR WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE INTRODUCTION
REFERRAL CALENDAR IS ADOPTED.
IF THERE'S ANY
OBJECTION, WE WILL NOT -- WE'LL
NOW
CONSIDER THE CONSENT CALENDAR,
AND
THESE ARE
THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT
CALENDAR.
THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 27 th,
2026, AND COUNCIL BILL 1211557.
ARE THERE ANY
ITEMS COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD LIKE
TO
REMOVE FROM TODAY'S CONSENT
CALENDAR?
HEARING NONE, I'M GOING TO
MOVE TO ADOPT THE
CONSENT CALENDAR. IS THERE A
SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED
AND SECONDED TO ADOPT THE
CONSENT CALENDAR.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON THE ADOPTION OF
THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBERCOUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> YES.
>> EIGHT IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE CONSENT CALENDAR
ITEMS ARE ADOPTED.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
MINUTES AND
LEGISLATION ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR ON MY BEHALF.
THERE ARE NO COMMUNITY
REPORTS PRESENTATION TODAY AND
NO ITEMS
REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT
CALENDAR.
THERE'S NO RESOLUTION
FOR INTRODUCTION TODAY.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER -- I
BELIEVE COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ,
YOU HAVE FURTHER COMMENT OR
BUSINESS?
>> YES, I DO.
BEFORE I DO THAT, THOUGH, MADAM
PRESIDENT, IF YOU WOULD LET ME
MAKE AS A PERSONAL POINT OF
PRIVILEGE, I WOULD LIKE TO
MAKE A REMARK.
I DO RESPECT PEOPLE'S
FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO COME
TO THE
PEOPLE'S HOUSE TO SHARE
THEIR THOUGHTS ON PUBLIC COMMENT
ON
ANYTHING, NOT JUST INCLUDING
THE AGENDA,
PARTICULARLY WHAT'S GOING ON IN
OUR CITY.
WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE, AND I
APOLOGIZE, I WAS CHOKING ON MY
WATER WHEN I COULDN'T GET
THE WORDS OUT, IT IS THE
INAPPROPRIATE REMARKS AND
THE PERSONAL ATTACKS AND
THE VULGARITY AND THE
INFLAMMATORY
LANGUAGE BASED ON RACE,
GENDER IT ETHNICITY THAT SOME OF
US
ENDURE ON A DAILY BASIS, AND
THAT'S WHAT I FIND
UNACCEPTABLE,
BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE
AND TAKE THE TIME TO COME
TO PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE
PEOPLE'S
HOUSE, WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR
WORDS.
I LEARNED SO MUCH TODAY
FROM
INDIVIDUALS THAT SHOWED UP, AND
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT I LISTEN
FOR.
IT'S
UNFORTUNATE THAT PEOPLE COME
HERE TO ATTACK OUR
ETHNICITY, OUR BACKGROUND, AND
MAKE THOSE PERSONAL
ATTACKS PUBLIC.
AND THAT'S WHAT SADDENS ME.
SO, WITH THAT, I JUST WANTED
TO CLEAR THE RECORD ON THAT
BECAUSE I COULDN'T SPEAK BEFORE
BECAUSE
I WAS CHOKING ON MY
WATER. AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO
MAKE
IT CLEAR AGAIN FOR
THE RECORD THAT MR. TSIMERMAN
NOW HAS,
ON THE RECORD, BEEN WARNED.
SO HE HAS TWO MORE
OPPORTUNITIES, AND HE KNOWS HOW
WE DO
THIS. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT'S
CLEAR.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, THANK
YOU FOR INDULGING ME, MADAM
PRESIDENT. I'M REQUESTING TO BE
EXCUSED NEXT TUESDAY FROM
SEATTLE CITYCITY
COUNCIL, FEBRUARY 10th.
>> ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS?
I'M NOT GOING TO OBJECT.
YOU ARE EXCUSED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS, I SEE YOUR HAND RAISED.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
ALSO REQUESTING TO BE
EXCUSED
FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
FEBRUARY 10th.
>> ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS
TO COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
BEING EXCUSED FEBRUARY 10th?
YOU ARE EXCUSED.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
YES, THE SAME FOR ME
EXCEPT FOR TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY
ON THE
17th OF FEBRUARY.
>> FEBRUARY 17th.
ARE THERE ANY -- IS THERE ANY
OBJECTIONS?
SEEING NONE, YOU ARE
EXCUSED, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER ITEMS
TO COME BEFORE
THE COUNCIL TODAY FOR THIS
MEETING?
I'LL LOOK LEFT AND
RIGHT.
MY COMPUTER TURNED ON MAGICALLY
SO I'M NO LONGER RIDING BLIND.
WE'RE GOOD.
ALL RIGHT.
AWESOME.
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK
THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS FOR COMING
OUT. WE HAD DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VOICES TODAY, WHICH IS ALL
WITHIN
THE PURVIEW OF THIS COUNCIL.
I WANT TO CONTINUE TO
INVITE PEOPLE TO COME TO PUBLIC
COMMENT BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR
OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE
TO HAVEHAVE -- TO BE ABLE FOR
THE RECORD,
STATE WHAT YOU'RE FEELING AND
TO -- WHAT
YOU'RE FEELING AND ALSO
WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS
COMMITTEE WITH KINDNESS
WHEN YOU WALK
THROUGH THESE DOORS, BE
RESPECTFUL.
WE ASK THE
SAME IN RETURN AS WELL, AND WE
JUST WANT
TO CONTINUE THIS PROCESS, AND SO
WE
JUST THANK EVERYONE FOR THAT.
WITH THAT, IT IS 3:14 AND THIS
MEETING IS ADJOURNED, THANK YOU.