Protesters planned to gather in Bellevue this afternoon at 3 p.m. to rally against the death of George Floyd. While the protest began as peaceful, it has turned into a riot.
Up to this point, protesters have been at Bellevue Square, The Shops at The Bravern, Bellevue Connection (formerly Bellevue Galleria), Hyatt Bellevue, and Lincoln Square South.
Follow our Twitter feed, @dtbellevue, to stay up-to-date on what is happening with current events in Downtown Bellevue.
How do you know they’re protesters? More likely it’s anarchists and other riffraff trying to spoil the protests. Until you can prove it, FIX YOUR DAMN HEADLINE.
You don’t know that the protesters are the ones looting. The looters are not the same people as the protesters.
I thinks it’s deceitful and morally irresponsible to call looters … protesters
Where was the organized march? Where was the protest?
Call out looters for that trash that they are but labeling them as protesters is deceitful and dangerous to those that actually do go out and protest injustice.
Stop blaming the movement for the looting. Opportunists are doing this, not the peaceful BLM Movement. Don’t let a sign fool you, the bad actors blend in however they can.
These people are looters and criminals. Do not dignify their crimes by labeling these criminals as “protesters”.
I hope that –unlike Seattle– they are arrested and jailed.
Kara, the author of this article, is apparently suffering from white privilege herself, and cannot be bothered with people like myself who are trying to contact her and ask her why she’s deliberately confusing “looters” with “protesters.” Another Amy Cooper? CHANGE YOUR HEADLINE or SUBSTANTIATE IT!
The looters are parked on 2nd, near 108th, and stashing their loot in the bushes nearby. I’m not currently onsite, so I can’t confirm myself, but I’d bet dollars-to-donuts there are some Trump bumper stickers on those trucks.
The Bellevue Chief of Police is live on KOMO right now stating these are not protesters looting. Your headline is irresponsible. 5:57pm 5/31/20
Minnesota is finding that their rioters that have been arrested are from other states.
Who are these people?
Yes, fix the headline.
These people are NOT protestors…they are CRIMINALS. Period.
These people don’t give a damn about George Floyd or any other person treated unfairly by police. Just an excuse to cause as much damage as possible and steal some new shoes. It’s beyond Disgusting.
imagine being so brainwashed you are trying to split hairs between protesters and looters.
They are holding signs.. aka protesting.. you dumb cunts
Savages.
Kara, instead of deleting our comments why don’t you change or edit your headline.
Why are you saying the protesters are the looters? What proof do you have that the looters are the same people as the ones protesting?
I’ve emailed Downtown Bellevue Network and sent a Twitter comment. What’s the hold-up?
There were hundreds of people and no protest signs. This is nothing but thugs dispersing then coming together, obviously organized by text. Saw many vehicles loading up cars with bags of stolen goods and tried to leave Bellevue Towers to get photos of their license plates but was not allowed to leave. To say that this started as a peaceful protest is a lie. It began as an organized effort to move groups of people around to thin police.
Thank you Kara. Whoever is doing this at least you got the word out. I appreciate your help. To all of you who are saying such miserable sentiments. This will eventually be sorted out. Let the cops do their job.
Better headline.
And Edward, I would post all the looting photos if you need proof. Literally groups of people filling trunks with stolen merchandise.
Nice mouth ‘Your Mother’ ps..criminals do know how to write.
I don’t doubt the activity of looters, but there are two separate groups – looters and peaceful protestors.
These are looters. They are NOT protesters. Just fix your headline. What would you do if they attack your newspaper and King5 TV station? Hope they do but there is nothing to steal. The mall is looted ,empty .They are already hurting. It is so embarassing that you people call them preotesters. How come that Jay guy did not ban the protests instead of banning churches??? He is responsibele for all this looting and he should pay for all the damages.
There IS a huge difference between protesters and looters . Name calling won’t change that. The looters are probably greedy anarchists that want to cause as much chaos as possible and don’t care about anybody but themselves. Shame on them !
One doesn’t have anything to do with the other . The churches were banned because of COVID-19 . Protesting is a constitutional right and responsibility of every person . Looting is a crime of greed . There is a difference .
They are not protester they are thieves, criminals and gangsters!!!!!
Go back to your ghetto!!
Fix your F’N headline. Peaceful
Protesters do not turn into looting.
So if I Rob a bank while holding up a sign that says, ”Love one another,” am I a Peace advocate?
I am waiting for the Hell’s Angels to show up. That ought be even more fun.
If all the looting is only being done from outsiders then they should have police or National Guard at the on-ramp points leaving town. They’d be caught red handed.
Don’t confound the two. They are clearly two different groups. Update your article to reflect the truth.
The difference between protestors and looters is huge… not splitting hairs. Protestors are exercising their Constitutional rights. Looters are breaking the law. Looters are exploiting a tragedy.. and carrying a sign does not mean they are protestors.
Ashamed at this headline which does not reflect any actual statements from local leaders or any verified information from news reports. You should change this headline right away. Shameful.
Yes, accuracy in headline writing is critical since this is a complex, emotionally-charged issue.
Take another look Allen. All those trucks have Obama Stricker’s and Biden stickers
Bellevue needs better security. The Looters should know what they face when they come to Bellevue.
These are nothing but criminals and need to be arrested and prosecuted.
They came here with one intention to cause destruction. They don’t care about justice or whatsoever.
Yes indeed, the official and civil protestors are the people I hope are remembered. I hope leadership throughout America sees the civil part of the protest and the true meaning of this protest. I hope all people will see how just one bad cop started this nightmare of destruction. The civil protests by civil people is probably over. Now it’s the thugs, the ignorant, and all others who see themselves as legitimately having the right to destroy and steal and burn.
I hope all people will understand that the thugs and the ignorant who destroy and steal are not really part of anything of value to America. They live their lives in desperation and having a low intelligence quotient (IQ) does not help as well.
This is irresponsible journalism at a bare minimum. Report on the content of the protests – the content of leaders in the POC community’s impassioned speeches/calls for peaceful action- separately from the violence enacted by opportunists continuing to take advantage of oppressed people.
Thank you.
Let’s not shoot the messenger here…..the headline reads ‘Protests (not Protesters) In Bellevue turn into Riots and Looting’. What started as a peaceful protest against a gross abuse of power inflicted on George Floyd, resulting in his death (murder in my opinion) ended up as a riot. The people who were actually protesting to make a stand against injustice, had their gathering taken over by those who have no interest in justice.
Unfortunately, the protest turned into a riot and looting when the wrong people with the wrong motives showed up and used a peaceful protest as a platform for vandalism and looting. So, the protest turned into something else with an entirely different result than intended by the actual protesters.
Let’s call out the criminals for who they are not to be confused with those making a stand.
People who are enlightened about what really happened will most likely interpret the headline correctly, but it could have been clearer especially since some people will still link “protest” with “rioting.” I have seen many people on social media associate the two. Maybe something like “Peaceful Protests Interrupted by Rioters and Looters.”
Why is it people think they have the right to destroy innocent peoples property for something that happen on the other side of the united states. Yes it was wrong and yes the officers should be prosecuted for their stupidity. In my opinion the people destroying and defacing property in Washington because of this even are no better than those police officers. The protesters that stood by and let it happen are no better, hense the good simaritan law. Shame on all of you. SHAME!!!! May God forgive you for your STUPIDITY !!
Bert: Please post link of photos including photo credit, of cars/trucks with Biden and/or Obama stickers.
All that needs to change is the reading comprehension and political-hair-on-fire emotional state of triggered posters. It doesn’t call protesters looters, it says the protests turned into riots and looting. When and how are not covered, but go ahead read into it whatever feeds your need to vent and feel important 🙂
Shalom.
All looters should be punished. Those that protested had obligation to stop crime if they see it. Police only looking what happened. No excuse for both. I was speechless when Bellevue police release looters because they did not have transportation. How we will do business, live and work in this city and in Seattle area with no protection to private property, business. Or stay at home and hope that the next burned car will not be my car. What message we give to further stealing regenerates. Steal others thins is OK. ??????????
The headline says “… turn into” so what was one thing, became something else, seems that a lot of you want it to say “Protestors in Bellevue replaced by looters and criminals”.
Bellevue police did nothing Only looking at looters . SHAME
ALLEN- please provide photos, videos, and links for your claim that looters had Trump stickers. Jay Inslee is weak and won’t order arrest of these criminals looting from businesses. IT IS SO WRONG! It’s stealing and destroying property. It appalls me that police officers just stood there and watched, scared to make an arrest because they didn’t want to be labeled as instigating violence. People think of your actions. This is the community and society you are building. We all are affected by each other’s actions. Businesses will suffer and that trickles down to us the consumers.
My husband and I were assaulted by a group of criminals that were stealing suitcases full of stolen merchandise from the mall. We were walking in the park and was heading to Mod Pizza when we were assaulted by these thugs. We spoke up…we said this was criminal and doesn’t help the cause…we were then assaulted. We are both alive. The other sad thing…not ONE by stander offered to help when we were being beaten…they were video taping. The last thing I remember saying is ” you have lost the focus to WHY these protests are occurring “
That is wrong on so many levels, and they should be prosecuted.