SEATTLE — Three days after the inauguration of Joe Biden, the city of Seattle mysteriously decided that vandals who destroy property during protests will be arrested and prosecuted more vigorously.
Seattle interim police Chief Adrian Diaz suddenly announced on Saturday that the decision was made in coordination with City Attorney Pete Holmes, and enforcement would commence immediately, the Seattle Times reported.
Diaz said of the rioters, “They’re focused on breaking windows, and these are things we need to work on,” adding that people who have been arrested “four or five times” for vandalism will be prosecuted more heavily. He asserted, “We will be prosecuting these crimes from now on. … When we don’t have any form of accountability for people — and many of them are coming from outside the city — they will continue to do that activity, and we can’t have that.”
“Diaz said police have arrested about 600 people for various incidents in riots or protests since last spring, and often misdemeanors haven’t been prosecuted,” the Seattle Times noted.
