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Civil Disorders Civil disorders are part of the nation's, and Seattle's, history. They can be put into three loose categories: 1) conflicts between two groups, 2) attacks on property and 3) violent demonstrations. Seattle has had them all. Often, incidents here are occur as part of a national trend. One common 'after action' finding has been that many local governments are often reluctant to activate disaster plans and seek to downplay the events until the situation is out of control. Historically, the most dangerous civil disorders occur spontaneously. In planned events, community leaders and the authorities can meet and develop plans to keep the peace. Major Incidents
Issues to Note Places where many people naturally congregate are likely places for a disorder, especially if they are connected to the issue sparking the problem. Capitol Hill often gets spillover effects from incidents downtown. Seattle has been fortunate to have a low number of casualties from disorders, however one person was killed during the 2001 Mardi Gras riot. Historically, property destruction has been the main problem. When a civil disorder happens cities worry about being stigmatized and resulting in decline in tourism and investment. Recovery seems to follow the normal process. The incident magnifies economic trends. Stagnant areas can be put into decline while growing areas bounce back. On the Web |
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