Name: 12,000 complaints filed against Seattle Police after weekend of protests
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12,000 complaints filed against Seattle Police after weekend of protests

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The Seattle Office of Police Accountability says it is processing roughly 12,000 individual complaints against officers in the wake of the demonstrations held over the weekend. The protests were part of a nationwide civilian response to the police killings of Black Americans.Numerous videos of unrest in downtown Seattle have circulated online, including one showing a young child screaming in agony after reportedly being pepper sprayed during a peaceful rally attended by thousands.Another clip shows two officers apprehending a suspect on the ground, after a group — separate from the protesters — began looting nearby retailers. One of the officers is seen placing his knee upon the person's neck amid the arrest.Both incidents are among the thousands of complaints under review the Office of Police Accountability. has been assigned a case number. The progress of the investigations can be checked .The office says the most frequent allegations include:The Office of Police Accountability insists the investigations of the complaints "will be civilian-led and as transparent as possible given the law and police collective bargaining agreements."Evan Hreha, who lives downtown, attended the initial demonstration on Saturday. He filmed the aftermath of the incident in which a child was pepper sprayed. He said a scuffle broke out prior to him filming."There was a little scuffle over towards the left side on the sidewalk in front of Macy's," he told KUOW. "It's like somebody pushed a sign or something and the cops kind of freaked out. I couldn't see exactly what happened, but then the little girl ran away screaming. So that's when I started recording."Hreha said bystanders began pointing to an officer named Jared Campbell shortly thereafter, and demanding to see his badge number — the view of which was obstructed by a black piece of tape. Campbell's photo was shared online, alongside accusations he was behind the incident and demands that he be disciplined.The Office of Police Accountability denies that Campbell is responsible for pepper spraying. However, officials have not yet publicly shared any additional findings.Andre Taylor is the founder of , a community organization focused on police reform and use of force reduction. He organized Saturday's protest in the Westlake neighborhood.Taylor, whose brother Che Taylor was fatally shot by plainclothes Seattle police officers in 2016, expressed skepticism about how much might become of the complaints."These things have happened so often before and people are acting so surprised," he told KUOW.He said he urges the Office of Police Accountability to be transparent with the public about its findings — especially those related to the child who was pepper sprayed."If you got 12,000 reports, something in there has to be true," he said.Previous EpisodeNext Episode

The Seattle Office of Police Accountability says it is processing roughly 12,000 individual complaints against officers in the wake of the demonstrations held over the weekend. The protests were part of a nationwide civilian response to the police killings of Black Americans.Numerous videos of unrest in downtown Seattle have circulated online, including one showing a young child screaming in agony after reportedly being pepper sprayed during a peaceful rally attended by thousands.Another clip shows two officers apprehending a suspect on the ground, after a group — separate from the...

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As an Online Editor/Producer at KUOW, Liz writes and edits stories for kuow.org. Liz previously covered education for Crosscut/KCTS 9. She is also an alumna of YES! Magazine, WLWT-TV, and The Cincinnati Herald. Additionally, her work has been published by USA Today and Rewire.News. Liz currently serves on the board of the Seattle Association of Black Journalists.

Liz Brazile

KUOW is the Puget Sound region's #1 radio station for news. Our independent, nonprofit newsroom produces award-winning stories, podcasts and events.

12,000 complaints filed against Seattle Police after weekend of protests

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