Seattle, WA – On May 25, George Floyd Day, a day for drawing attention to police brutality, the Seattle Alliance against Racist and Political Repression (SAARPR) led a rally and march through the streets of South Seattle to demand justice for Christian Nelson and Jack Paleli.

In September 2025, Seattle’s federal consent decree was lifted after 13 years. The consent decree was an order placed on the Seattle Police Department in 2012 by the federal government to force them to report to and be reviewed by the federal government due to their excessive use of force and brutality. Not even three months after the decree was lifted, SPD had already killed two men. Those men were Christian Nelson and Jack Paleli. Both were suffering through mental health crises when they were killed.

The Seattle Alliance refused to ignore their murders and has been campaigning for justice for Christian Nelson and Jack Paleli since they were killed.

The march began near the Othello light rail station, where Christian Nelson was killed, and kicked off with speeches from allied organizations.

Elaine Simons, a member of the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability and the foster mother of Jesse Sarey, who was killed by former Auburn Police Officer Jeffrey Nelson, said, “They are killing our loved ones here in our state, and we have to remember that we need to be united.”

Though the rain was pouring, the energy was high. Just before the march officially got moving, SAARPR member Jonathan Toledo read a statement from Christian Nelson’s mother, Amanda, in which she said about her son, “My son promoted love. My son was a bridge to bring people together. My son is not the lies that have been portrayed; he is more than that.” Christian Nelson and Jack Paleli deserved to live.

Fueled by this injustice, the march kicked off and chanted all the way to the SPD South Precinct building. At the front of the march was a banner that read “Justice for Christian Nelson & Jack Paleli!” and passing cars honked their support. When the march reached the police building, it congregated in front as the last speeches were given.

The final speech was given by a SAARPR member who said, “As an immigrant, I was never surprised by how deeply repression runs in the U.S. But the level of repression and racist violence under the guise of safety that people experience here has shocked me to my core. So far this year, the police have killed 466 victims across the U.S., 14 of those here in Washington, and three of them here in Seattle. If our representatives and officials care, why are these officers not jailed? They should be held accountable.”

#SeattleWA #WA #ChristianNelson #JackPaleli #SAARPR #InjusticeSystem

Seattle, WA – 30 people in council chambers came together January 13, for a protest organized by the Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (SAARPR) to demand the Seattle city council strengthen its stance against ICE.

Members of the Seattle Alliance had presented the Seattle city council with a list of demands, including refusal of any and all cooperation with ICE, and an end to the Seattle Police Department's expanding surveillance system – invasive surveillance cameras which community members previously spoke out against due to the potential for them to be accessed by ICE if requested.

Public commenters spoke out in favor of the demands. Kevin Rosewood, a local educator stated “As a teacher, my main goal is keeping the kids I work with safe. When the council says we are a sanctuary city, I feel like that's just lip service when I see ICE coming and taking people from our communities,”

Rosewood continued, “I'm tired of living in fear that one day my classroom will be raided, and I want you to live up to the promise that Seattle is a sanctuary city.”

Protesters echoed the demands, chanting “We want safety, we'll tell you how! Defend our sanctuary city now!”

“To all of you who didn't sign on to our demands, I say: ‘What are you doing?’” said Jonathan Toledo, branch chair of the Seattle Alliance. “While our streets are being terrorized by ICE, we're hearing nothing from you. You sit up there and don't interact with the people who make up our communities. We want ICE out of Seattle, and if the next words after my comment aren't addressing this, we won't be happy.”

Chants of “ICE out of Seattle!” after this statement drowned out Council President Joy Hollingsworth's next words and forced the council to call a recess where a meeting was arranged.

Hollingsworth initially claimed that the council had reviewed the Alliance's demands. During the meeting it was revealed that only one progressive council member had actually read them, and as such they could not sign on to it. Protesters and community members then left the chambers chanting “We'll be back!”

#SeattleWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #ICE #SAARPR

Seattle, WA – On January 7, organizers with Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (SAARPR), Seattle Against War (SAW), and others held an emergency rally in front of the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building to protest the ICE murder of Minneapolis resident Renee Good which had occurred that same morning. The rally was held to answer the nationwide call to action from the Legalization 4 All Network and was organized within a matter of hours.

The event began as a press conference where SAARPR Branch Chair Jonathan Toledo laid out the four people’s demands: an immediate end to ICE raids in our cities; an immediate end to the mass deportations and terrorization of immigrant communities; full justice and accountability for the murder of Renee Nicole Good, and the immediate release of the name of the ICE agent who murdered her, along with the names of all ICE agents terrorizing communities across the country. Toledo continued, “They should not be able to hide! This is unacceptable! This needs to be stopped!”

The press conference quickly took on mass rally proportions as the crowd grew to 300 people. Other speakers spoke in solidarity with the demands. Many demanded full transparency not only of ICE agents but of Seattle PD, who murdered Jack Palelei and Christian Nelson within two months of each other just last year.

Ray Mitchell with Students for a Democratic Society at UW (SDS) spoke about the University of Washington, which “brands itself as a progressive university [but] has refused to do anything about ICE on campus. They told students that if they see ICE, the solution is to call the cops. When I spoke personally to UW President Robert Jones and told him international students on campus felt unsafe, he flat-out refused to make a statement to reassure them. Shame!”

Nolan Good, who spoke on behalf SAW stated, “When we see videos of armed vehicles rolling into neighborhoods, when we see Chinook helicopters fly across the sky, and when we see heavily armed foot soldiers murder people in broad daylight in front of cameras with complete impunity, we know that in Seattle and in Minneapolis and cities across the country, that the very same officers and agents that are killing the people of America on the streets are being trained by the people who are killing Palestinians.”

The growing size and energy of the crowd prompted the organizers to lead the group to take the streets of downtown Seattle and march, occupying the full breadth of the four-lane roads. At every turn, organizers led the crowd in chants of “Say her name! Renee Nicole Good!” Seattle PD blocked adjoining streets but kept their distance from the crowd, whose energy and determination far exceeded their own.

A member of Nidal, a Palestinian organization, echoed the fighting power of the people’s struggle, “When one of the occupation kills us through martyrdom, what we’ve seen today in Minneapolis, that doesn’t mean our movement dies, we keep fighting!” La lucha sigue!

#SeattleWA #WA #ImmigrantRights #ICE #InJusticeSystem #KillerICE #KIllerCops #SAW #SAARPR #SDS

Seattle, WA – Over 100 people gathered December 3, at 42nd Avenue S and S Othello Street to mourn and demand justice after Christian Hadley Nelson was shot and killed by as many as six Seattle Police officers at a busy intersection the previous afternoon.

The Seattle Police Department closed the streets and left Nelson’s body at the scene for over 12 hours, shocking neighbors and passersby. Authorities did not release Nelson’s name until December 5. By the time of the rally, community members were calling for the release of all details, including bodycam footage and the identities of the officers involved.

The rally, organized by local groups led by the Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (SAARPR), aimed to respond to community concerns over recurring police violence, particularly towards Black community members.

Speakers at the rally shared personal experiences and emphasized the need for collective action, uniting attendees around demands for accountability.

“The reason why they [SPD] do this is because these cops are out here to serve as an occupying force,” said Jonathan Toledo, branch chair of SAARPR.

Police said the man shot was allegedly holding a handgun, but neighbors challenge this narrative, showing community skepticism about the authorities' version of events.

A neighbor, who joined spontaneously on the mic, shared, “They killed a Black man, he was homeless, he had mental health issues, and he lived in the park in this neighborhood for a long time. And because he was poor, he was Black, he had mental health issues, his life didn’t matter.” They later continued, “The police serve the wealthy and those who have money and property.”

A worker from Cafe Red said, “A life has been taken. It was police violence.”

Another neighbor in the area, shared, “They do it so they can oppress the Black community.” He later added, “SPD Chief Shon Barnes once again lied and said the man had a gun and that police had no choice but to kill him, but we were talking to witnesses, and they said there weren’t any warnings; the cops escalated instead of de-escalating. That doesn't sound right. Not only did the cops kill this man, but they also endangered this entire neighborhood,” pointing to the nearby building where stray police bullets broke windows and even injured a civilian. Witnesses counted over 24 bullet casings at the scene.

This latest killing occurred only 90 days after federal oversight through the Consent Decree was lifted, closely following the killing of Jack Palelei.

The 2012 Settlement Agreement between Seattle and the U.S. Department of Justice, known as the “Consent Decree,” required city of Seattle to implement reforms to ensure police services comply with the Constitution, ensure public trust and promote confidence.

Emijah Smith, member of the community and a speaker at rally, said, “We have to address the issue here: a person’s life is now gone. A murder. The police were called because someone was having a concern. We don't know all the details, and we’re asking for the release of the details.” Smith later added, “Our people are dying, our people are suffering, and now y’all are too. Do not accept this. Call for action, hold them accountable, ask for the resources.”

The rally uplifted SAARPR’s call for a Community Police Accountability Council (ComPAC), already in practice in Chicago, highlighting the effectiveness of community organizing.

Other organizations, including Seattle Against War, attended the rally to support demands for transparency and justice: full release of bodycam footage, officer names and the victim’s identity.

Clio Jensen from Seattle Against War spoke told the crowd, “The country that we live in is violent, and it perpetuates violence overseas. The Seattle police department trained with the IDF. When George Floyd was killed in 2020 with a knee on his neck, where do you think Minneapolis Police officers learned that technique? By working with the IDF. By giving the IDF tools that the U.S. uses to oppress its own citizens, non-citizens, and to turn it against the Palestinian people who’ve lived more than 75 years of apartheid and a current genocide.”

The rally concluded around 7 p.m., with community members placing flowers and lighting candles in a moment of collective mourning and solidarity.

#SeattleWA #WA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #SAARPR #NAARPR

Seattle, WA – On November 2, the Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (SAARPR) held a press conference in response to an Seattle Police Department killing three days before. The press conference was held where the killing took place, by the intersection of 4th Avenue S and S Holgate Street.

The press conference comes as a response to the conflicted reporting by SPD. On the day of the killing, SPD reported that the officers involved shot the man, and that he was armed with an “edged weapon, potentially an axe.” Later in the evening, the King County Sheriff’s Office, which is responsible for the investigation, stated that the victim had a firearm, and that he “produced a firearm” during the shooting.

“Why is it that we only hear a day after this killing that the victim had a gun?” commented Jonathan Toledo, the branch chair of SAARPR. “Was it because they didn’t know about the gun because he didn’t pull it out? We would love to give SPD the benefit of the doubt, but we cannot, because they have proven themselves to be untrustworthy.”

The Seattle Police Department has a history of shooting Black or brown people for holding an “edged weapon.” Referring to the case of Terry Caver, a Black man killed in May 2020 under a minute after making contact with the police, Toledo continued, “This isn’t just Terry Caver and today. The history goes back decades. Herbert Hightower Jr., John T. Williams, Urban Seay – I have an issue with our Seattle Police Department having such a reputation for shooting and killing Black and brown people armed with kitchen knives that it’s considered suicide.”

SPD recently exited the Federal Consent Decree, established in 2012 after the police killing of John T. Williams, a Native American wood carver. Williams was holding a closed carving knife. Ian Birk, the officer who killed Williams, resigned one year later. Following an investigation by the Department of Justice, SPD was placed under a Consent Decree that required it to conform to constitutional policing practices.

In September 2025, after 13 years under the consent decree, Seattle successfully petitioned the court to lift the restrictions, citing a “comprehensive transformation,” and “one of the strongest accountability systems in the country.” Despite this, many of the same issues with SPD faced by people living in Seattle are still a reality today.

“We know they won't hold themselves accountable. We have many, many police officers with a long track record of shootings. The story being created is that they needed to subdue this person with a blade, but we need to see the footage, and know which officers were involved in the shooting. We deserve to know who is responsible.”

The Seattle Alliance is demanding that SPD immediately release the names of the officers involved, as well as all dashcam and body-worn video of the shooting.

#SeattleWA #WA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #SAARPR #NAARPR

Seattle, WA – On Wednesday, October 8, the Seattle Public School Board voted 5-2 to reject bringing cops into Garfield High School halls and classrooms. The school board was considering assigning a Seattle Police Department officer to Garfield High School for a one-year pilot program.

The Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression organized with Seattle students and parents to demand no cops in classrooms. This was in reference to part of the proposal which included cops teaching students in classrooms about multiple topics, including students’ “legal rights when engaging with law enforcement.”

At the board meeting, Garfield High School parents spoke up powerfully against the proposal. Emijah Smith, a Black mother and Garfield alumna, said, “Families appreciate having them [cops] on the campus and around but don’t bring them into school when you know we are working on the prison pipeline. You know that’s the cause that’s going to send our kids to prison.”

Amanda Thornewell shared how “the school leaders [used] the police to stop my son from talking about swim team hazing.” She added, “this was the message that my son received from the SRO [school resource officer] and the Garfield leaders: we want you to stop talking. It’s not in your best interest. You will be expelled.”

The Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression branch chair Johnathan Toledo stated, “I’m directly opposed to this SEO pilot program because, as it stands, it does not let students, faculty and parents have control of what officer will be selected, and it doesn’t let students, faculty and parents to decide whether they want to continue or terminate the program.”

Toledo uplifted the demand for community control of the police, stating, “Don’t use the death of Amarr Murphy-Paine as an excuse to put cops in schools in direct contact with students and not give the students, faculty and parents to have any control over what they can and can’t do.”

This vote came after months of organizing and advocacy by the Seattle Alliance, including collaborating with the progressive pro-education Keep Your Promise Coalition, which includes the Seattle Student Union and Seattle Education Association, the Garfield Black Student Union, and Garfield parents, including members of the Garfield PTSA and Garfield parent Arron Murphy-Paine.

The school board’s rejection of this policy is a major political defeat for pro-police Mayor Bruce Harrell and Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, both of whom strongly advocated for putting cops back into schools. In contrast with the limited scope of the proposal, Mayor Harrell has advocated for cops in up to four schools with as many as 15 officers.

In her comments before her vote, Board Director Michelle Sarju advocated for Black kids and said, “We are not standing on equal ground. [There is] too much data that says having a police officer in a school creates more disproportionality, not less.”

While Seattle still needs to increase investment in school staff and community organizations that are doing effective violence prevention and justice work, this vote was a positive step in the right direction and a victory for the Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

#SeattleWA #WA #InJusticeSystem #HighSchool #SAARPR