From the Twin Cities GDC
A pdf version of this press release may be downloaded here: gdc14-2017-01-25-seattlepr2
Victim still in Harborview Hospital; Shooter is well-known right wing gun activist.
SEATTLE, WA, January 25, 2017 — Social media activists claim to have
identified the person who shot an anti-racist organizer on the
University of Washington’s Seattle (UW-Seattle) campus on Friday,
January 20, 2017, as a well-known right-wing gun activist attending
white nationalist Milo Yiannopoulos’ event with his wife, also a gun
activist. Although the shooter shot a person in a protest situation,
University of Washington Police have refused to make an arrest, and
released the shooter and the person who accompanied them to turn
themselves into the police early Saturday morning. King County
prosecutor Dan Satterberg has not indicated any plan to pursue
prosecution. Local politicians have remained ominously quiet.
The victim is an anti-racist and anti-fascist activist, and member of
the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and the IWW General Defense
Committee (GDC). His lawyer has confirmed that he was there to protest
Milo Yiannopoulos’ hateful speech and violent incitement. He had been
seen de-escalating conflicts between protesters and counter-protesters
before he was shot. He remains in Harborview Hospital.
Social media activists allege the shooter is a well-known local
right-wing gun activist who sent Yiannopoulous multiple Facebook
messages that evening. This person claimed in those messages that a
protester had stolen a beloved “Make America Great Again” hat, and
requested a new, autographed one from Yiannopoulos. In these messages he
claimed a protester had ‘sucker punched’ them.
Multiple witnesses have reported that this person appeared drunk that
evening, and had aggressively and repeatedly sought confrontations with
protesters. This behavior can be seen on videos released by the
Southern Poverty Law Center, and others. Media sources have reported
that the suspect has claimed they shot in self-defense and that they
originally thought that the person they shot was a ‘white supremacist,’
but UWPD deny these reports. The reporting of these sorts of
unsubstantiated claims has clouded the facts, and allowed undue credence
for the right-wing narrative of fear.
People have questioned the University of Washington administration’s
handling of this situation. UW administrators justified the event on the
basis of the principle of freedom of speech; it is unclear however that
the administration would permit self-proclaimed nazis to speak on
campus and encourage the genocide and ethnic cleansing of the United
States. We question why the administration permits people who have
merely rebranded themselves as members of the alt-right to encourage
similar violence against our fellow humans. UW President Cauce’s
statement denied administration responsibility, and offered no support,
condemning ‘violence’ in general and reaffirming support for the event’s
approval, as well as the police handling of the situation.
Multiple press accounts from witnesses indicate that the police made
no serious attempts at crowd control that evening, and were unprepared
for the event. At the same time, observers have questioned the
prosecutor’s unwillingness to charge the shooter, even after they turned
themselves in. Our comrade has expressed his empathy for the shooter
and his desire to engage in a restorative justice process rather than
cooperating with a criminal prosecution. This indicates his deep
opposition to the violence of the police and the state. The police’s
complicity with the shooter indicates their willingness to protect those
who create violence.
There is a double-standard for violence in America: right-wing
activists may shoot protesters with impunity. We appear to be in a
period when the right wing can murder unarmed protesters and claim
self-defense. This was the supposed defense of the white supremacists
who shot five people in Minneapolis at a protest against police murder.
These violent right wing activists will even call us the ‘nazis.’ As
they have done in this case, the media will collaborate unintentionally.
Finally, we are disturbed by the total silence from Seattle’s
political establishment. We expect conservatives to ignore or even
celebrate violence against us. However, the silence and lack of support
from liberal, progressive, and radical members of the city council –
especially socialist Kshama Sawant – is damning.
Our comrade continues to recover, and we are deeply grateful for the
support shown him by generous people all over the world. His pain and
sacrifice should not be in vain: we call on all people opposed to
fascism and racism to demand accountability from the UW, the police, and
the politicians. While we hold them accountable, we must also take
responsibility for our own collective safety. It is clear that the
police and the politicians have no interest in our safety.
Americans often like to say ‘there is no room for racism.’ It is past time to move beyond statements, and make it a truth.
###
Those who wish to financial support this member’s recovery may donate at this link.
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