May Day Aftermath

Rain drives May Day protesters away after earlier outbreak of vandalism | Local News | The Seattle Times

Also in the Times:

• Violence arrives, dressed in black. I wonder if this is why I've been seeing the Goth crowd vary it's look? I thought it was just some hipster irony thing, although most Goths would get upset at being called hipsters...

• Businesses in Seattle core hunker down

Pete Nordstrom, the {Nordstrom Department store} company's president of merchandising, bought a bouquet of flowers at a stand inside the store's main entrance. He said he was disappointed over the city's handling of the protests.

"It's hard for me to understand how in the middle of the day people can run down the streets and cause damage and not be held accountable," he said.

Simple, Pete, the cops aren't allowed to set up a Gatling gun to quell riots anymore. /sarcasm.

And I think I see your problem:

Downtown Seattle Association spokesman Randy Hurlow said the group supports protesters' right to free speech, and noted that downtown has long accommodated demonstrations.

"But with that right comes the expectations that they abide by our laws and that they follow the city's rules for use of our streets, sidewalks and parks," he added. On Tuesday, "there were several instances in which that line was crossed."

Emphasis added.

The problem is that people like you always put the emphasis on "rights to free speech", especially when it comes to groups espousing the liberal/progressive/crypto-socialist agenda you like to think should be followed by enlightened sorts. The possibility of the protesters "Crossing the line" never seems to occur to you in advance, even if history shows that certain groups always do so. (Or never do; note the way liberals still react to the Tea Party, with a history of zero crime or violence, and of leaving rally sites cleaner than they found them...)

• Live updates from May Day

Here's Mayor McSchwinn's Emergency order authorizing seizure of potential weapons (PDF). Gotta say, if they really were sticking their posters to two yard long, three inch diameter poles, that does seem excessive...
OTOH, it does not address the issue of State pre-emption regarding persons with Concealed Pistol Licenses. (Link goes to Dave Workman's Seattle Gun Examiner column.)

Heh: Rocks thrown through windows of Mayor Mike McGinn’s home | Seattle Times Newspaper

Other coverage:
KOMO TV:

• The Seattle anarchist who wore the wrong outfit. Nikes dude? Really?
• Watch: Rioters strip off masks, black clothes to hide in crowd.
• McGinn's home targeted by vandals following May Day protests.

KIRO TV May Day Protests roundup.

KING 5 TV:

• Arrested May Day vandals face misdemeanor, felony charges.
• Watch how the 'Black Bloc' formed at Westlake (Video)
• Downtown Seattle Association: 'Hoped we could have done better'. Again? Look, stupid, they are not part of you!How many riots do you need to teach you that?
• Camera rolls as KING 5 photographer is assaulted by May Day marcher. Like I was saying...

I wonder if they still make those net gun things they used to corral Schwarzenegger in The Running Man? (Yes, that was a real "fugitive recovery" product.)