May 1970 Spokane protests

May 1970 Spokane protests
Title	May 1970 Spokane protests
Date	May 1970
Place	Spokane, Washington, United States
Causes	Opposition to Vietnam War, reaction to Kent State shootings, local draft resistance
Methods	Demonstrations, marches, sit-ins, vandalism
Result	Temporary curfews, arrests, policing reforms, political debates
Casualties	Several injuries, arrests

May 1970 Spokane protests were a series of demonstrations, marches, and confrontations in Spokane, Washington, in May 1970, triggered by national and regional reactions to the Vietnam War and the shootings at Kent State shootings. The protests involved students, veterans, labor activists, faith leaders, and local officials and produced clashes with the Spokane Police Department, debates in the Washington State Legislature, and extensive coverage by regional outlets such as the Spokesman-Review.

Background

The protests in Spokane occurred against the backdrop of escalating opposition to the Vietnam War and the national shock following the Kent State shootings at Kent State University. Local tensions had been building at institutions including Gonzaga University, Washington State University Spokane, and regional branches of the University of Washington, where student groups affiliated with the Students for a Democratic Society and the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam had organized teach-ins and demonstrations. Labor organizations such as the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations locals in Spokane and veterans’ groups including the Vietnam Veterans Against the War were increasingly active. Local elected figures from the Spokane City Council and the Washington Secretary of State faced pressure from civic leaders, clergy associated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane, and civic organizations like the Spokane County Bar Association to respond to civil unrest.

Events of May 1970

In early May protesters staged marches from college campuses to downtown Spokane, routing past landmarks such as the Spokane River and the Riverfront Park site, and assembling near municipal centers including the Spokane County Courthouse and the Spokane City Hall. Demonstrations included coordinated sit-ins at the Spokesman-Review offices, picket lines at Gonzaga University and solidarity rallies at locations tied to the Spokane Transit Authority. Protesters attempted to occupy public spaces and disrupt routine operations at institutions such as the United States Post Office Spokane Main Office and had confrontations at transportation hubs served by Great Northern Railway (U.S.) corridors. Multiple nights saw clashes between demonstrators and officers of the Spokane Police Department and sheriffs from the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, culminating in arrests made under ordinances administered by the Municipal Court of Spokane.

Participants and Organizations

Participants included student activists from Gonzaga University, Whitworth University, and area community colleges; organizers from the Students for a Democratic Society and the Young Socialist Alliance; veterans associated with the Vietnam Veterans Against the War and chapter members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars who opposed the Vietnam War; clergy from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane and the United Methodist Church; labor representatives from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations local councils; and political figures from the Spokane City Council and state legislators from the Washington State Legislature. Media organizations such as the Spokesman-Review, regional bureaus of the Associated Press, and local radio stations played organizing and reporting roles. Opposition groups included conservative organizations aligned with the Republican Party (United States) and local chapters of service clubs such as the Rotary International.

Local Government and Police Response

Local responses involved coordination among the Spokane Police Department, the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, and municipal officials including the Mayor of Spokane and the Spokane City Council. Officials debated invoking municipal curfews, emergency ordinances, and the activation of reserve police forces drawn from units like the Spokane Police Reserve Unit. Law enforcement applied crowd-control measures informed by tactics later examined by committees in the Washington State Legislature and municipal oversight bodies tied to the Spokane County Commission. Arrests were processed through the Municipal Court of Spokane and the Spokane County Jail, and complaints prompted inquiries from advocacy organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union Washington State chapter. The Washington National Guard was discussed in local meetings as a contingency, reflecting parallels to deployments at Kent State University.

Aftermath and Impact

The disturbances prompted local policy discussions in the Spokane City Council and influenced electoral contests for seats in the Washington State Legislature and municipal offices including the Mayor of Spokane. Reforms debated in the wake of the protests addressed police training overseen by the Spokane Police Department and civilian oversight proposals involving the Spokane County Commission. The events energized antiwar organizing in eastern Washington (state) and led to a sustained presence of groups like the Students for a Democratic Society and the Vietnam Veterans Against the War in regional activism. The protests also precipitated legal challenges in the Municipal Court of Spokane and civil actions mediated by the American Civil Liberties Union Washington State chapter, and shaped coverage practices at the Spokesman-Review and the Associated Press bureaus.

Media Coverage and Public Reaction

Local and national media covered the Spokane protests extensively, including reportage by the Spokesman-Review, dispatches filed through the Associated Press, segments on regional television affiliates of the Columbia Broadcasting System and the National Broadcasting Company, and commentary in magazines such as Time (magazine). Public reaction split among civic leaders, clergy from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane and the United Methodist Church, business groups represented by the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce, and university administrations at Gonzaga University and the University of Washington. Editorials in the Spokesman-Review and statements from the Spokane City Council reflected divergent views that fed into statewide debates in the Washington State Legislature and conversations among national organizations including the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Category:Protests in Washington (state) Category:1970 protests Category:Spokane, Washington