The City of Olympia and the Olympia Police Department are preparing for unrest downtown on Saturday, as multiple groups of protesters are expected to be in the area at the same time. Last weekend, this combination resulted in large street brawls and one man being arrested for firing his gun into a crowd.
The City of Olympia released the following Friday: “The City of Olympia is expecting protest activity at the State Capitol and in the Downtown area on Saturday, Dec. 12. Residents should expect traffic disruptions Downtown after noon. While the City supports peaceful protests, the Olympia Police Department (OPD) will have a significant presence Downtown out of an abundance of caution following an armed clash last Saturday. OPD plans to have sufficient staff on duty to address any behaviors that pose a risk to public safety. Downtown visitors and shoppers should expect to see a visible presence of police.”
Supporters of President Trump appear to be planning to gather at the Target store on Harrison Ave in West Olympia. According to posts made on Facebook, they will “be set up at the Target parking lot to collect gifts for children with a possible “drag the interstate” activity afterwards.”
An event called “Reopen Schools” is also set for Saturday, 2:00 pm at the State Capitol. Details for this event are not known.
Anti-fascist groups plan to gather around 11:30 am at the Heritage Park Fountain. An article posted on the Puget Sound Anarchists website reads in part:
“We are calling all friends and comrades in the fight for liberation to join us in defending our communities against fascism, white supremacy, and nationalism. December 12, 2020. Meet at the Heritage Park fountain at 11:30am, move at noon. REMEMBER, if you are coming from out-of-state, do not announce publicly or to people you don’t trust that you will be traveling across state lines for protests.” These groups are also gathering for “training” this evening at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle, according to sources on Twitter.
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