Former Spokane City Council president arrested after organizing protest to block ICE from leaving office with detainees

Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown declared a state of emergency Wednesday evening following riots against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the downtown area. What began as a daytime demonstration quickly turned volatile, prompting police to deploy smoke grenades and pepper balls near Riverfront Park to disperse agitators.

Mayor Brown announced an emergency curfew for downtown Spokane, effective at 9:30 pm on Wednesday and continuing through 5:00 am on Thursday. The curfew applied to the area bounded by Boone Avenue to Spokane Falls Boulevard and Howard Street to Division Street, including Riverfront Park. Exemptions to the curfew included: First responders, attendees leaving the soccer game at the Podium, residents of the affected area, individuals commuting to and from work, and accredited media personnel.

Per the Spokesman-Review, the curfew was enacted after agitators blocked federal immigration agents from leaving a downtown immigration office. The group blocked a truck that was allegedly carrying two detainees and was bound for Tacoma's ICE processing facility. 

According to KXLY and local law enforcement sources, protesters clashed with officers near Riverfront Park, with tensions escalating throughout the afternoon. In a show of mutual aid, SWAT units from Kootenai County were dispatched to assist Spokane Police.

Among those arrested was former Spokane City Council President Ben Stuckart, who allegedly attempted to obstruct ICE enforcement actions. Stuckart, who has previously championed sanctuary city policies, is accused of inciting the demonstration in response to the scheduled deportation of a Venezuelan. Stuckart was charged with failure to disperse.

 

Stuckart reportedly sent out a social media post at 1 pm asking, "that if you care at all about these illegal detainers you meet me at 411 West Cataldo by 2 p.m. I am going to set in front of the bus. Feel free to join me." He added, "The Latino community needs the rest of our community. Not tonight, not Saturday but right now!!!!"

The post was made in response to the arrests of 21-year-old Cesar Alexander Alvarez Perez, a Venezuelan national, and Joswar Slater Rodriguez Torres, a Colombian national. Stuckart said he had become the Venezuelan’s legal guardian three weeks ago, and that Stuckart, Perez, and Torres had gone to the Spokane facility Wednesday morning for a scheduled "check-in" appointment, where the two foreign nationals were detained.

The Spokane protest comes on the heels of six consecutive days of national unrest sparked by activists rioting against ICE activity in Los Angeles. Riots have since spread to major cities including Chicago, Seattle, and Portland, with increasing reports of property damage and violent confrontations with law enforcement.

The protest movement appears to be coordinated by a coalition of far-left groups, including Antifa, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and local chapters of Indivisible, a progressive political action network. The Idaho Tribune reports that organizers are now targeting downtown Coeur d'Alene, with online chatter suggesting a possible disruption of community events scheduled for Saturday.

Indivisible and affiliated groups have openly called for additional protests on Friday, June 13, fueling concerns among residents and businesses in both eastern Washington and northern Idaho.

City officials urged citizens to remain vigilant and comply with curfew orders. Mayor Brown stated her priority is to "maintain public safety, prevent violence, and protect lawful residents from further disruption."