Cops in Seattle make umbrellas illegal and start ticketing those who honk in support

[Generic Other]

The Night Umbrellas Became Illegal in Seattle

The Stranger’s Dominic Holden reported umbrellas that are not being held by a standing individuals are considered structures, and therefor are illegal at the Occupy Seattle protest in Westlake Park. That’s right. Umbrellas are illegal in Seattle:

Police are aggressively clearing people out of the park. Cops are telling people they can’t stand underneath the awnings, can’t wrap themselves in a tarp, and can’t even sit down with an umbrella. “You can’t have an umbrella open unless you’re standing and holding it,” a cop reportedly just told a few people who were sitting down next to their umbrellas. Paul Contant, intrepid reporter, just called to confirm that person’s account. And he added, “The cops are lined up under the awnings—I tried to get under an awning to type and and they told me I cannot be under the awning at all.” Police are also telling people they can’t lay under a tarp.

Occupy Seattle’s Facebook page explains how umbrellas legally become “structures”:
There is a lot of confusion about what is going on at Westlake right now as some structures have been taken down by the police. From the Occupy Seattle Police Spokeswoman:
In Westlake Park no sleeping structures are allowed (our information/food/medical tent is!) and sleeping under the awnings is not allowed. You cannot have tarps tied down to anything, but you can have them covering yourself. You can have umbrellas but someone must be holding them at all times, if left unattended they are considered to be structures. Blankets and sleeping bags are okay! We are not being kicked out of the park at this time.

I spent time at Occupy Seattle interviewing protestors last night and today. I can tell you no one was worrying about the legality of umbrellas. They were worried about making less money today than 5 years ago. They were worried about raising a family on minimum wage, while banks gouge them for more money just to use their accounts. They were worried about corporations taking over the political system. They were worried about environmental degradation. They were worried about the cost of war, while our own infrastructure collapses around us. They were worried about how they were going to pay off student loans, when no jobs were available after graduation.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/stepforward/2011/10/08/the-night-umbrellas-became-illegal-in-seattle/

Cops Ticketing Drivers Who Honk in Support of 'Occupy Seattle' Protesters
by Lauri Apple

The Seattle Police Department has begun handing out tickets to motorists—including cab drivers—who honk if they love their local Occupy Wall Street contingent. People can probably still honk if they love Jesus, though don't quote us on that.

Apparently lots of Seattleites were honking in support of the protesters, currently camped out at Westlake Park (in case you want to visit them after church today). One ticketed honker is cab driver Ayad Agila, who told KOMO News he was "shocked" that he had to pay either $124 or $144 just for making his car go beep-beep. Agila told KIRO he won't pay the fine, and now he's probably on some sort of government watch list. Meantime, protesters have been trying to help their supporters by holding signs warning them not to honk.

http://gawker.com/5848031/seattle-cops-ticketing-drivers-who-honk-in-support-of-protesters

[Incitatus]

1. It looks like they have some more to add to this list:

http://www.stupidlaws.com/laws/united-states/washington/

[Generic Other]

4. Anyone under the age of 18 must have parental permission to throw a tear gas canister

Good to know.

:+

[LiberalFighter]

7. They should had included the name of the person responsible

for introducing those laws and the year.

[LiberalFighter]

2. And law enforcement officers are suppose to be respected why?

[Generic Other]

6. Because they are standing under the awning staying dry?

And ticketing old ladies going to church?

[LiberalFighter]

3. They need to make lots of calls to the mayor and city council members

[bemildred]

5. "screw us and we multiply." nt

[Generic Other]

8. A little liquid sunshine will not discourage a real PNorthwesterner

We don't need no steenkin' umbrellas!!!

[bemildred]

11. "It's just water."

:-)

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. Seriously, in the 40 years I lived in Seattle, I never once used an umbrella.

And I worked outside in the rain, I walked a LOT outside in the rain ( not having a car while working in Seattle is ...dampish)
Really saw few umbrellas in Seattle, come to think of it. One reason is that often the rain comes with wind, you end up fighting the umbrellas, they obstruct your vision, it is easier just to wear waterproof hoods or even goggles ( I have been known to do that).

[Generic Other]

18. Using an umbrella means you think it is really not going to stop raining

Who wants to believe that? LOL.

[MadMaddie]

22. I live on the Eastside of Seattle and I was thinking the same thing

so what if they are illegal, Seattle folks don't carry them anyway. If that is supposed to discourage protesters it's a waste of time.

The police are already under investigations for abuse of power (again), just a matter of time before they overstep their authority in an attempt to stop the people to peacefully gather. All they are going to do is make more people go to Westlake.....

[Generic Other]

26. Our New Motto: Honk if you hate umbrellas!

[dana_b]

38. I noticed that last year when we were up there

no one was carrying an umbrella!! I guess we Bay Area folks are wimps. ;)

[Missy Vixen]

42. Natives don't carry umbrellas

When we see an umbrella, it's a tourist. Seattle natives shop at The North Face, REI, or buy Polartec to deal with the damp and cold instead.

At the risk of threadjacking, a few tips for Seattle tourists:

Wait at the crosswalk for the light to turn. Natives do. If you don't, the cops may ticket you for jaywalking, and you'll have to go to traffic school.

Seattle spends more per capita on sunglasses than any other city in the USA, due to the large numbers of blue-eyed people of Scandinavian descent that live here.

Honking one's car horn in traffic is considered unforgivably rude.

Your Seattle native friends wouldn't be caught dead in Pike Place Market, Seattle's waterfront, or at the Space Needle on a weekend afternoon. The only "touristy" place they might consent to visiting with you is Snoqualmie Falls.

Learn to pronounce Puyallup, Spokane, Sequim and Medina before you get here.

Coffee is a religion. There are roughly one zillion other places to get coffee within the Seattle city limits besides Starbucks.

[JBoy]

44. In Vancouver we have a joke about umbrellas

What do you call someone in Vancouver with an umbrella? A tourist!

[Bozita]

19. Time has come to dust off this sign from the Capitol in Madison...

[LiberalFighter]

9. Do law enforcement officers in Seattle want others to hurt them?

It sure seems like it.

[Ruby the Liberal]

10. Dare I say - this is a good thing?

The more they fight this with moronic shit such as this, the more life blood they are injecting into the entire movement.

While I was pleased to read about the Mayor of Philly state that the police will "escort" the demonstrators, the flipside to that is that it can really take the steam out of those who are protesting as it appears to be working with the system.

Catch-22 as the very police that are on the beat at these locations ARE the 99%.

[Generic Other]

17. Stupidity makes great headlines

Stories like this only strengthen our resolve and serve to make the boys in blue look like Keystone Cops.

[EFerrari]

12. We should keep a record of these pathetic attempts to derail us. n/t

[Generic Other]

15. All that honking is disturbing the dummies at the mall...

I mean the mannequins...they hate loud noises.

[EFerrari]

20. LOL. "How can I maintain my mall face when you're making all that noise."

:hi:

[saras]

16. We do, dearie, we do

[Scuba]

14. Who ordered it? Not the beat cop, I'll bet.

[DinahMoeHum]

21. More examples of "standing on a brick to kick a duck's ass"

n/t

[nichomachus]

23. Remind me how we're different from the USSR? n/t

[coalition_unwilling]

24. A picture's worth a 1,000 words:

[Fire Walk With Me]

25. Oh, let's see how this works out.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Generic Other]

29. We are angry, but this kind of comment is beneath us.

"You attract more flies with honey than with vinegar," as my old man used to say.

I am sorry that the cops are stuck in this position, especially the ones who worry about the same things I do. They worry their pensions will disappear, that their health insurance costs more, that they are being asked to do more and be paid less. I think there are cops out there who know this. We need to reach out to them if we can.

[Occulus]

31. "JUMP, you FUCKERS"

[Generic Other]

33. I didn't say push!

How can we engage them in the dialogue? Is it possible? Because the ones in uniform are standing out in the rain too, awning or no.

:wow:

[Major Hogwash]

32. ..

[Generic Other]

34. I like the idea of an umbrella revolution

since rain is predicted for next week. Maybe the umbrellas should have messages duct taped on them! Everyone bring your old umbrellas to Westlake protest! Open enough umbrellas that there isn't an inch of uncovered space. A sea of umbrellas. And if you leave, leave your umbrella. People can carry one, then two, then stuff them down the back of their shirts. We can make raingear and political statements with this action.

[Major Hogwash]

35. This is why they passed the Patriot Act.

So they could shut down discussion.

And it's very effective.

[Generic Other]

37. We all thought as much, didn't we?

All those expensive security toys they bought themselves. The training with the nets to corral people, the siege towers, the scooters. We bought all that stuff at the price of our freedom.

We always knew or must have suspected the weapons would be used against us. But they forgot one thing. They forgot that for every Bull Connors-like cop aiming a pepperspray or a nightstick, we have a million people aiming a camera back. Who will win the real war--the war for hearts and minds? They don't sell that formula at "Homeland Depot" in the crowd control aisle.

We mus win their minds. Because much as they pretend it isn't true, they are like us. They have parents, spouses, siblings, children. They need to see our humanity and we theirs. Stand nose to nose with them as they stay dry under awnings and rain drips off protesters' noses. Let them see the results of their actions. Talk to them. Ask them why there is no human solution, no place to assemble peaceably. They are peace officers. Ask them why they are called that.

They need to be reminded they are not above the people. So far their behavior seems childish and bullying.

[dana_b]

39. oh that would be great!

I wonder if they would try and arrest all those folks?

[freeplessinseattle]

43. Sounds good to me! great idea n/t

[MADem]

28. Umbrellas not being HELD by a STANDING individual?

That's discriminatory--what about people in wheelchairs? They don't get to have an umbrella? If a person in a wheelchair attaches an umbrella to the back of their chair, they are in violation?

I'd think the ADA might weigh in on that one.

How about an old lady on a bench, seated, waiting for a bus? She's in trouble too? Where's AARP on this?

How about someone wearing an UMBRELLA HAT? Is wearing a hat "holding" an umbrella, or is the person a structure in this case? Or is it just a hat, and can the person sit?

Someone could make a killing making giant rainproof sombreros--you know, the really BIG ones, that cover your back. They could even make them in a jazzy and colorful motif, so they stand out....or turn them into wearable signage.

[Generic Other]

30. Full Body Umbrellas!!

[dixiegrrrrl]

36. lawsuits......file lots of them, now!!!!!

[Remember Me]

40. Hmm, the long arm of the law has a very heavy hand on the end. nt

[Dawson Leery]

41. The Seattle PD has already proven themselves to be whores for the controlling powers.

WTO 1999