January 11, 2024
Olympia, Wash. – “Civil disobedience is an important feature of democracy, but it comes with accountability. The Washington State Patrol is actively investigating several individuals involved in orchestrating Saturday’s protest and will be referring cases to the King County Prosecutor’s Office as appropriate. There should be no doubt that the Washington State Patrol will investigate and pursue prosecution of those who cause this level of disruption.
Intentional disruption of traffic flow on such a vital roadway puts both people’s lives and their livelihoods at risk. It is dangerous and simply cannot be tolerated. The sophistication and scale of Saturday’s event presented unique challenges for law enforcement and safety risks to everyone on the freeway. State and local law enforcement prevented escalation of a situation that could have ended very badly, and I appreciate the service of these fine public servants.”
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Release sent by Chris Loftis, WSP Director of Communications