The Carl Haglund Foundation Condemns Lack of Law Enforcement during Riots

Mayor fails to take a stand against violence

Family owned small businesses destroyed

SEATTLE, WA – The Carl Haglund Foundation called on the City of Seattle to significantly increase its protection of downtown businesses, families and housing and to decisively take a public stance against further violence. “I went down there myself around 11:30 pm on Saturday night to get a first-hand view of what was going on. I was simply appalled to watch rich and middle class white people looting stores and vandalizing small businesses under the insincere guise of a protest.” Haglund continued “What I saw goes against everything Seattle stands for. Violent and selfish people were throwing objects at the police, destroying small and immigrant-owned businesses and lining their own pockets in the process. This is not who we are.”

The Haglund Foundation was also harshly critical of Seattle’s political leadership including Mayor Jenny Durkin and the City Council. “There is what failed leadership looks like. When the mayor and the city council were confronted by the biggest crisis of their administration they completely failed to condemn the violence, protect the city, and stop the vandalism. They are too busy pandering to a small minority of violent radicals to provide any real leadership. It truly is a pathetic display of moral bankruptcy on behalf of the city’s leaders.” Haglund was mystified that the City Council’s response to the riots was to punish city businesses like Uber. “What does Uber have to do with the violence downtown? They are so desperate to find a fake villain because they don’t want to confront the real villains.” 

Haglund noted he faced first-hand threats of violence when he tried to defend a family owned restaurant. Haglund said he confronted a large group a vandals destroying a small restaurant and they in turn threatened him with violence. “The family who owns this restaurant was brutalized twice. Once by the vandals who destroyed their livelihood and again by the Mayor who refused to protect them.” 

Haglund, CEO and Founder of the Carl Haglund Foundation, personally confronted Mayor Durkin and Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best in the morning following the riots. “You should resign” was Haglund’s simple message to the mayor. “Your actions condone and encourage this violence. You are personally responsible for the losses in our city. The City should pay for all the damage to the small shops that were shattered last night. Instead, police officers and small business owners are paying the price for your lack of leadership.” 

Durkin did not respond to Haglund’s call for her to resign.