Spokane leaders aim to quell misinformation and distrust after immigration protests

Just days after dozens of people were arrested after clashing with law enforcement at an immigration protest in downtown Spokane, area leaders are looking to learn from the incident and prevent similar unrest at others planned for Saturday.

In a news release Friday, Mayor Lisa Brown said she and police Chief Kevin Hall have asked the city’s police ombudsman to conduct a review to ensure law enforcement followed department policy when responding to demonstrators. Shortly after the mayor notified the public of the review, Hall also sent out a release elaborating on his prior statements about nonlethal crowd dispersion tools in an effort to “give a more complete picture” of the evening.

The protest started when two immigrants, who came to the U.S. legally after fleeing persecution in Venezuela and Colombia, were arrested outside of an ICE office in North Spokane. Police deployed foam bullets, bean bags, PepperBalls and smoke canisters to control agitators in the crowd, according to previous reporting from The Spokesman-Review, and some 30 people were arrested. The protest eventually made national news.

“The people of Spokane have placed their trust in the (Office of Police Ombuds) ability to be an independent voice of analysis and reason. Chief Hall and I share that trust and believe an independent review is a commonsense step to take during this important moment,” Brown said.

The mayor asked for the ombudsman to review the response “given the high-profile nature of the demonstration” and “potential for misinformation and distrust,” city spokesperson Erin Hut wrote in an email. Brown wants a complete and objective assessment of the response, Hut said.

“We exist to evaluate police response,” Ombudsman Bart Logue said Friday. “I accepted the request and have already sent out requests for video and documentation. We want to do a good job.”

The protest involved hundreds of demonstrators and officers. Logue expects this will take months to review. It’s too early for him to weigh in on what was appropriate or wasn’t appropriate, but he does believe a review of the event “in general” is necessary, given its size – 185 Spokane police officers and around 50 Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded.

Once a review is completed, the ombudsman office will issue a report recommending any changes to department policy or training to fix potential response errors.

Hall, who was only appointed as Spokane’s police chief last year, has made a strong effort to reform the department with data-driven police practices. The difference from the George Floyd protests of 2020 and the ICE protests now is seen mostly in the tear gas and looting of businesses; multiple injuries were reported following strikes of rubber bullets and bean bags, including that of a 13-year-old girl, and countless people inhaled tear gas instead of white smoke.

Hall said PepperBalls and smoke canisters were deployed Wednesday. On Friday, Hall said he learned during his ongoing review of the incident that bean bags and foam projectiles were also deployed.

“From the information we currently have, these tools were used in response to assaultive behavior. We are still reviewing the full context of these interactions, and unless new details come to light, the actions taken appear to align with our use-of-force guidelines,” Hall wrote. “I want to acknowledge that I did not have this information available during Wednesday night’s press conference. I shared what I knew at the time, and I regret not being able to give a more complete picture in that moment. I’m committed to correcting that now.”

Although people at the protest reported they were hit with a rubber bullet, Hall maintains they were not used. Rubber bullets can break the skin and cause significant injury, like a bone fracture.

Saturday brings new caution for Spokane-area law enforcement, as a “No Kings” protest against President Donald Trump is planned as part of nationwide demonstrations. Another large gathering, the annual pride festival, is happening the same day.

Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels issued a statement ahead of Saturday’s Pride Festival and protest urging demonstrators to remain lawful and not infringe upon each other’s rights in public spaces. He added he hopes police response “will not be needed,” but his office is prepared to respond if necessary.

“I hope we all have a safe weekend of celebrating Flag Day, Father’s Day, and Pride. For those groups who want to express their opposition or support of political viewpoints and actions, there is room here for all of us,” Nowels said in the statement. “Let’s make sure the Spokane area is the example to the rest of the country on how diverse people and viewpoints can peacefully coexist.”