The Washington State Patrol (WSP) has filed charges against seven more individuals involved in a protest on Interstate 5 in downtown Seattle on January 6, 2024. The group, made up of three men and four women, brings the total number of people facing charges to twelve. The charges include 2nd Degree Criminal Trespass, Failure to Disperse, Disorderly Conduct, and Obstruction. The King County Prosecutor’s Office will decide what charges to file based on the evidence.
The protest started around 1:00 p.m. on January 6, closing all north-bound lanes of I-5 for about five hours. Protestors blocked traffic by stopping and leaving 12 vehicles on the road. A large group of protestors also cut through a WSDOT safety fence and occupied the freeway.
The protestors did not leave the area, and eight people bound themselves together to delay evacuation efforts. As WSP prepared to manage the crowd, bad weather dispersed the protestors before any arrests could be made.
After the protestors left, the abandoned vehicles were searched with bomb-sniffing dogs before being towed. WSP has high-resolution footage of the events and has released photos of other individuals believed to be involved in the freeway takeover.