A public outcry arose as King County Prosecutor Dan
Satterberg announced he will not pursue criminal charges against a Seattle police
officer who shot and killed a homeless Native American woodcarver in August.
The announcement, made Feb. 15, was answered by a militant protest in the
streets just one day later, as hundreds of people gathered, first at City Hall
and then at Westlake Park to denounce the decision and call for justice for
John T. Williams.
Williams, 50, was shot and killed by officer Ian Birk
in front of numerous witnesses during rush hour on Aug. 30 at the intersection of Boren Avenue and Howell
Street in downtown Seattle. Birk claimed that
Williams was carrying an open knife and fired only seconds after telling
Williams to drop the knife. The knife in question was a small carving knife
Williams used to make traditional carvings, which he sold to support himself. Others
at the scene said that the knife was closed.
Numerous protest marches have taken place since Williams’
tragic death demanding justice. Williams was well-known and liked in the
downtown community. During the inquest into his death, demonstrators held vigil
daily as a jury heard testimony on the facts of the case.
Thus it was felt as a slap in the face when Satterberg
announced that he would not prosecute Birk. Police chief John Diaz, under fire
for an epidemic of police violence in Seattle, including incidents of police
stomping on, punching and choking people, announced that Birk’s actions were
unjustified according to the firearms review board. Birk submitted his
resignation later that day.
Satterberg went on to note that he understands why the shooting
caused concern
Hundreds gathered at City Hall at 4 p.m. on Feb. 16, called
into action by the Family and Friends of John Williams. Protesters marched to
Westlake, where they ralllied. Speakers included Emma Kaplan of the Oct. 22
Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Jane Cutter of the ANSWER Coalition, poet
and activist Anitra Freeman and others.
Many speakers made allusions to the revolution in Egypt as
well as to the struggle in Wisconsin.
“Someone said that the majority of the police have good
intentions. It doesn’t really matter if they do, because they are part of the
system, the police exist to support the system of exploitation and oppression,”
stated Cutter. She went on to explain that the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia
began with struggles against police brutality—”This is the same struggle, same
fight.”
After the rally, marchers poured into the streets and
marched to the site where Williams was killed, where a moment of silence was
observed. From there, protesters marched to the police precinct.
Demonstrators made their demands perfectly clear: They want
justice for John Williams, and they want an end to the racist reign of terror
from the Seattle Police Department.
