The Latest: Inslee activates National Guard due to protests
SEATTLE (AP) — The Latest on protests in the Northwest sparked by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis (all times local):
6:35 p.m.
City officials in Eugene, Oregon, enacted a 9 p.m. Saturday curfew in part of the city following destructive protests over the George Floyd killing Friday.
Seattle and Portland, Oregon, also issued Saturday night curfews due to unrest.
Eugene is home to the University of Oregon.
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5:49 p.m.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Saturday evening activated up to 200 members of the National Guard to respond to violent protests in downtown Seattle that forced the closure of Interstate 5 and the imposition of a citywide curfew.
Inslee said the guard personnel will be unarmed and be directed by Seattle officials, who requested the help to protect property and manage crowds who had gathered in response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
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4:55 p.m.
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced a 5 p.m. curfew for Saturday following rowdy protests that spilled onto Interstate 5, forcing the freeway’s closure through the central part of the Northwest’s largest city.
Thousands of people gathered in downtown and a largely peaceful early afternoon rally turned rowdier, with police pepper spraying demonstrators and deploying flash bands. Police said arrests were made but an exact figure wasn’t available.
Portland's mayor declared an 8 p.m. PDT curfew for Saturday after that city saw fiery protests Friday night.
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4:50 p..m.
The Washington State Patrol closed both directions of Interstate 5 through downtown Seattle as a protest over the killing of George Floyd spilled onto the freeway Saturday afternoon.
"The freeway is not a safe or appropriate place for demonstration,” state patrol Chief John Batiste said in a statement.
Thousands of people gathered in downtown and a largely peaceful early afternoon rally turned rowdier, with police pepper spraying demonstrators and deploying flash bands. Police said arrests were made but an exact figure wasn’t available.
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3:36 p.m.
Thousands of people gathered in downtown Seattle to protest the killing of George Floyd and a largely peaceful gathering turned rowdier Saturday afternoon.
Police deployed flash bangs and pepper sprayed some demonstrators who got close to police lines. Police on bicycles pushed back several protesters.
A police spokeswoman, Sgt. Lauren Truscott, said some people were arrested though she didn’t have an exact figure.