West Precinct officers arrested twelve women and nine men after they blocked the street in the 1900 block of 5th Avenue earlier this afternoon and refused to leave.

At around 4:00 pm, downtown officers responded to the area of 5th and Virginia to reports of a number of people protesting. The demonstration had moved into the street, effectively blocking all traffic.

At 5:54 pm, the incident commander ordered the protesters back onto the sidewalk or face arrest for failure to do so.

All 21 protesters refused to leave the street, despite numerous alternative options offered by the police. At 6:12 pm officers issued a final dispersal order to each individual, and each one refused to leave the street. All 21 individuals were arrested without incident.

Just before 7:00 pm all lanes of traffic were reopened.

The arrested demonstrators will be booked into the King County Jail for pedestrian interference.