Anti-ICE protesters burn American flags at Seattle federal building

SEATTLE (KOMO) — A day of demonstrations at the Henry M. Jackson Federal building in downtown Seattle ended with protesters removing and burning American flags Tuesday.

The protests started early in the day, around 8 a.m., as protesters barricaded the driveways of the building with rental scooters and bikes.

Police did not attempt to remove the barricades or disrupt the protest until later in the evening when officers clashed with groups of protesters near 2nd Ave and Marion Street.

Demonstrators approached Seattle police officers who were moving through the area on foot and in vans. Police deployed pepper balls toward the protesters, but the interaction ended after around 30 seconds, and Seattle police left the area.

Around 9:45 p.m., protesters removed the American flag from the flagpole on the east side of the building and burned the flag. Approximately 15 minutes later, the group did the same with the American flag on the west plaza.

By 10:30 p.m., the group was reduced to around a dozen people.

Two people were arrested during the demonstration and released soon after. Officials have not said what the two people were arrested for.

The facility houses the immigration court in Seattle and has been the site of several recent anti-ICE protests.