On Sunday night, approximately 100-150 Antifa activists assembled near Frost Park in downtown Tacoma, Washington, and marched through the area shattering windows of businesses and vehicles, tagging walls and sidewalks.
At 7pm on Sunday night, Antifa activists assembled near Frost Park in downtown Tacoma, Washington, to protest the Tacoma police officer who struck two while trying to escape a mob who were attacking his police cruiser on Saturday night. The 29 year veteran of the department was placed on leave pending an investigation.
9th and Pacific Ave in Tacoma pic.twitter.com/C76iq2Eimw
— Jason Gauthier (@jasonjgauthier)
Following the original incident, Antifa and Black Lives Matter protesters showed up at the scene and Antifa members were seen lighting fires in intersections and worked to prevent people from taking video of their activites.
The Antifa agitators who gathered Sunday night had no intention of a peaceful protest. They immediately gathered garbage cans and created barricades to block intersections while they blasted music through the neighborhood. Antifa members came from Seattle, Portland and elsewhere to riot in Tacoma, and assembled at 9th and Commerce Street. The activists waived Antifa flags and were dressed in their traditional 'black bloc' uniforms.
Tacoma: An Antifa flag waves as ~150 Antifa demonstrators mobilize for their march pic.twitter.com/JYzk1lwYa7
— James Klüg (@realJamesKlug)
Earlier in the evening Tacoma Police, who had been monitoring the area for the expected violence, responded to reports of three people in a secure building on the 700 block of Commerce St. trying to access the roof. Officers responded and arrested two people armed with a handgun and knives for first degree burglary. The third person has not been located yet.
While monitoring demonstration activity, witnesses observed 3 people in a secure bldg. in the 700 blk of Commerce St. trying to access the roof. Officers responded and arrested 2 people armed with a handgun and knives for Burglary 1st. The third subject is still outstanding. pic.twitter.com/HxdC8N865o
— Tacoma Police Department (@TacomaPD)
A street preacher who was a frequent visitor to Seattle ‘autonomous zone’ was allegedly knocked to the ground. When he got back up, Antifa activists began pointing high powered lasers at his face.
The street preacher from the Seattle protests has been knocked to the ground once again #Tacoma #TacomaProtests pic.twitter.com/zXvnZThvQT
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene)
Scuffles broke out among the activists. Some of the activists allegedly assaulted civilians who were nearby.
Fires burning in the streets of downtown Tacoma tonight #Tacoma #TacomaProtests #Washington pic.twitter.com/8uD7PNzoQ2
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene)
The agitators lit fires in the streets and blocked traffic. Vehicles assembled to accompany the activists and to block traffic and intersections along the way.
Tacoma, WA: Antifa drivers help assist Antifa members with traffic control pic.twitter.com/o0i5SuyTxT
— James Klüg (@realJamesKlug)
The assembled group of approximately 100-150 agitators, marched towards to Tacoma Courthouse and the Pierce County Jail. As they marched, they vandalized many businesses along the way, shattered windows, burned an American flag and ‘tagged’ surfaces with graffiti.
Tacoma, Wa: Antifa has vandalized at least 10 businesses as well as parked vehicles pic.twitter.com/TSkBCpYEH8
— James Klüg (@realJamesKlug)
As the rioters marched, they chanted, but the neighbors were not happy to see them and yelled at them to leave, as the rioters shined flashlights into Tacoma resident’s windows.
#Tacoma Rioters have begun to march through a residential area chanting for people to join them, as if they hadn’t just destroyed their neighborhood seconds ago. pic.twitter.com/6nhHXXz7tY
— Shane B. Murphy (@shanermurph)
When the rioters arrived at the courthouse, the group smashed in the windows of the building as well as windows of vehicles in the parking lot, before continuing to the county jail. Along the way rioters continued to tag surfaces and smash windows of businesses.
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This is Griffin Malone. He’s a pretend journalist who appears to try to get Antifa thugs to attack people in the crowd he doesn’t like. He also helps protect criminals.@TwitterSafety will keep the tweet up, but then claim they care about safety. pic.twitter.com/V1CuIoJxYC
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz)
Along the way the rioters began looking for the various reporters and citizen journalists who were documenting the riot, and put out calls over social media to find the "chuds" and stop them. Some Antifa activists were dressed as members of the press.
Fence shaking at Pierce Co. Jail #Tacoma #Tacomaprotests pic.twitter.com/jai3nQ2hXr
— Kitty UnShackled (AKA Boomhauer) ? (@KBoomhauer)
When the group arrived at the county jail, they began shaking the fence of the property before moving on. By that time, police who had assembled nearby began moving in, declared the riot an unlawful assembly and ordered the crowd to disperse.
Tacoma, WA: TPD Officers have arrived and are warning Antifa demonstrators to leave the area pic.twitter.com/s6vkkL5Td6
— James Klüg (@realJamesKlug)
As of publishing, there had been no arrests for vandalism and the crowd had mostly dispersed while a few stragglers remained. A meeting of the Tacoma City Council is scheduled for Monday to discuss the "discuss the Use of Force Incident at 9th and Pacific Ave" the original incident of the mob that attacked the squad car.
A significant amount of damage was done to buildings, stores and vehicles by Antifa, the group that President Joe Biden had previously referred to as "just an idea" in an October presidential debate with then President Donald Trump.
This riot follows a resurgence in activity by the Antifa following the inuaguration of President Biden.
This is a developing story.