Seattle May Day Riots 2012 [updated: we're fine]

UPDATE: Just for the record, Patrick and I have both gotten out of the city just fine, he to Tacoma for his rehearsal and myself to home. Here is where you can listen to live streaming coverage of the event. They're still at it, and look to be settling in for some speech-listening. (6:39pm PST)

UPDATE 2: Apparently the actual vandalism and stuff wasn't done by Occupy members. It was a group of people who call themselves the Black Bloc, and they've been turning up all over the globe hijacking regular protests for the past decade or so. I guess they're some sort of anarchist people who just like to destroy stuff for the hell of it. Hopefully we arrested at least a few of them. I'm glad it was them and not regular Seattle dwellers participating in the destruction of our city, although I wish it hadn't happened at all. I hate pointless destruction.

This is a Seattle Times article about it, and it's being updated now and then. Here is a link to photos of the incidents. If you can't see those, here are some:

Tear gas has been used and a lot of property has been damaged, along with at least one fire lit, but as far as I know no one has been hurt. They've arrested a few people and are beginning to confiscate potential weapons. We'll see how it goes. The protest is heading toward Pioneer Square, where Patrick works. Fortunately our cars are both locked in garages and our buildings are secure.

UPDATE:3:45 p.m. |  Here’s the Seattle police timeline of this afternoon’s events:

• At 11:50 a.m. a group marches from Seattle Central Community College to Westlake Park, arriving at 12:07 p.m.
• At 12:21 p.m., approximately 300 people – including approximately 75 “Black Bloc” type protesters armed with sticks, wooden riot batons and other weapons – marched from the park west on  Pike Street then south on Third Avenue.
• As they marched along Third, people began jumping on cars, and causing property damage, much of which was captured live by TV cameras.
• At 12:35 p.m., officers reported paint and rocks flying, along with hammers and tire irons being used to damage property. There also were reports of “sound bombs” and fireworks.
• The crowd walked past Benaroya Hall and turned onto Seneca, causing various damage along the way.
• They stopped at the Well Fargo Bank branch in the 1200 block of Fourth Avenue where they caused “significant property damage.”
• The crowd then continued up to Fith Avenue and Spring Street,  eventually arriving at the 9^th District Court of Appeals at Sixth Avenue and Madison Street, where the “black bloc” group did extensive damage to the courthouse, including destruction of glass doors.
• At 12:43 p.m., we have reports of local “superheroes” engaging with “Black Bloc” to defend courthouse. (This is a real thing. We actually have these people who dress up in costumes and call themselves superheroes, going around trying to do good deeds.)
  
• The crowd then headed north, causing property damage along the way.
• At Sixth Avenue and University Street, the “Black Bloc” blocked traffic.
• When they arrived at Pike Street, they caused extensive damage to retail businesses (Niketown).
• At this point officers were able to get into the crowd.
• The group dispersed, the “Black Bloc” members ran, and an unknown number of arrests were made.
• At 12:59, p.m., the core group of “Black Bloc” members returned to Westlake, where we saw them live on video changing back into street clothes and blending into the crowd
• We have reports that at that point, the leaders of the “Black Bloc” dispersed and left the area