Antifa, anti-ICE militants barricade Seattle federal building with electric scooters, burn American flags

A day of escalating violence at the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building in downtown Seattle culminated Tuesday night as Antifa and anti-ICE agitators removed and burned the building's American flags.

The protests began around 8 am, when demonstrators started barricading the building’s driveways with rental scooters and bicycles. As the day progressed, it turned increasingly volatile. Antifa militants and anti-ICE activists began blocking exits, surrounding federal officers, and engaging in physical confrontations with agents and journalists. Two people were arrested, according to KOMO news.

By late morning, the group had effectively blockaded all garage exits to prevent ICE from transporting detainees. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel were dispatched but were quickly outnumbered and forced to retreat after being surrounded and doused with unknown liquids.

As the afternoon wore on, confrontations intensified. The group used umbrellas to obstruct cameras and prevent footage of their actions, while some assaulted officers and attempted to breach secured areas. In one instance, federal authorities temporarily regained access to an exit, only for the militants to regroup and continue their resistance. Federal officers attempted to remove the barricades, but the activists quickly replaced them and even used zip ties to prevent them from being moved.

Seattle police officers briefly intervened, deploying pepper balls during a standoff near 2nd Avenue and Marion Street. However, their involvement was short-lived, and officers quickly withdrew from the area.

Tensions reached a boiling point after nightfall. The group used heavy metal objects in an attempt to break through the building's front entrance. In response, federal officers deployed crowd-control munitions to push back the increasingly aggressive crowd.

Then, just before 10 pm, they tore down the American flag from the federal building's east flagpole and set it on fire. Minutes later, a second flag on the west plaza was also burned.

By 10:30 pm, the crowd had largely dissipated, dwindling to a dozen activists still occupying the area.

It is unclear how many, if any, of the far-left activists were arrested.