TACOMA, Wash. — A few businesses in Tacoma were vandalized by an Antifa crowd that had gathered Sunday night a day after videos posted to social media showed a city police officer driving through a crowd after they surrounded the SUV while the officer was trying to respond to a drag racing event.
9th and Pacific Ave in Tacoma pic.twitter.com/C76iq2Eimw
— Jason Gauthier (@jasonjgauthier) January 24, 2021
The crowd gathered at Frost Park, where they blocked off the intersection and set trash on fire. At first, there was no police response.
Tacoma, WA: Antifa has set fire to a dumpster in the middle of the street pic.twitter.com/gY22f4nx8L
— James Klüg (@realJamesKlug) January 25, 2021
The crowd, about 120 strong, then started to march around the city's theater district. While they passed businesses, some in the crowd smashed windows and graffitied walls. The crowd also made their way into the residential areas of Tacoma, chanting at residents to come out of their homes to join their march.
The Tacoma Police finally came out to respond after stores were damaged, though they did not take any hard action against the crowd. Police were set up in an intersection when the crowd was trying to march back to where they started. During the resulting standoff, an American flag was stolen from a window of a business. The Antifa crowd then set it on fire to taunt the officers.
The crowd left on its own without the police having to take any hard action against them, causing more damage to private property as they left the area.
King5 reports two people were hospitalized after the officer drove through the crowd on Saturday night and he has been placed on paid leave.