Critics Try to Mar Rally by Supporters of Police in Seattle
Critics of the besieged Seattle Police Department nearly upstaged a rally by supporters at a downtown park Saturday.
The police are under fire for their handling of protests during the recent World Trade Organization meetings.
“Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Police brutality has got to go!” demonstrators chanted as city and law enforcement officials took the podium to thank more than 400 citizens packed into Westlake Park.
The speakers spoke loudly into the microphone to ensure that all could hear above a steady stream of protest chants.
“There are no words to express what this means to us. All of you taking time out for us is just phenomenal,” Seattle Police Officers Guild President Mike Edwards said.
The guild staged the rally and was selling “Battle of Seattle” T-shirts commemorating events surrounding the WTO talks Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, which included the smashing of downtown store windows, slashing of squad car tires and more than 500 arrests of demonstrators.
Neither Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper nor Mayor Paul Schell spoke at the rally. Both have been criticized for the handling of WTO protests, and Stamper has announced he will retire.
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