Seattle property owner fears his building could be next target of rioters: 'Enough is enough'
Joseph Wanagel describes the violence he's witnessing in his neighborhood by 'criminals' who have taken over the protests.
Seattle property owner Joseph Wanagel told “Fox & Friends” on Monday that “enough is enough,” following a violent weekend in the city.
“It's a rough situation,” Wanagel said.
Seattle police said at least 59 officers were injured during protests on Saturday when they were struck with explosives, rocks, bottles and wood. They added that the injuries include burns, bruising and a torn meniscus. Most of the injured officers were able to return to work, police said in a Twitter message.
The officers were injured after moving protesters away from the East Precinct after police said protesters threw an explosive at the building causing structural damage.
Police reported numerous fires and explosions on Saturday, Q13 Fox reported.
A Starbucks store was reportedly destroyed and other businesses were covered with graffiti.
Forty-seven people were arrested by the end of the protest, police said.
Host Brian Kilmeade asked Wanagel, “What have you witnessed the last few weeks and what has it done to you and your neighbors?”
“I have witnessed people rolling around with AK-47s, continually protesters coming for essentially battle, with things to throw at people,” Wanagel replied, adding that he also witnessed protesters bringing “explosives.”
“They put a hole in the East Precinct,” he continued. “They’re smashing everything. They are spray painting everything. I don't know how anybody would want to live in that neighborhood. It's very difficult.”
SEATTLE POLICE DECLARE RIOT AFTER PROTESTERS SET FIRE TO CONSTRUCTION SITE
Similar protests and violent demonstrations have been seen across the country following the death of George Floyd, a Black man in Minnesota who died while in police custody. A video of the May 25 encounter with police officers showed a White officer putting his knee on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes. Floyd died later that day.
Kilmeade asked Wanagel, “When people say it’s peaceful protest about racial inequity in America, what do you say?”
“I say that's not true,” Wanagel responded. “These people are criminals running around there. Enough is enough.”
“The Black Lives Matter people left a long time ago,” he continued. “Now it's just people using that to smash and grab. It's completely not realistic. This is just ridiculous.”
Kilmeade then said,” If I rent an apartment from you, I'm probably not too happy right now. A lot of them are saying you can have my apartment. I'm out of here. You got to lease those empty apartments and how can you even ask the same amount considering that the only thing you can you promise is more destruction?”
“That's exactly it,” Wanagel said. “When you have literally thousands of people walking in front of your building that are carrying explosives, guns, covered in riot gear themselves to go attack the police, I mean, what are you supposed to say to a potential renter?”
“How long are these people going to attack this neighborhood? We haven't done anything. Why won't they just leave us alone?” he went on to ask.
Kilmeade then noted that President Trump “wants to send some federal agents in” and said, “People think he’s the bad guy.”
“The way it's supposed to work is … if the city can't handle it, call in the county. If the county can't handle it, you call in the feds so I don't know why we are living in a world right now that we're not cooperating with federal officers, instead [people are] denouncing them and ridiculing them,” Wanagel said.
“The folks on the ground, the police and the county sheriffs and the federal officers, these are not bad people,” he continued.
He then acknowledged that “in any organization” there is a possibility of “a bad actor here and there.”
“But overall we should be working together to try and make a better place for us all to live, not arguing,” Wanagel said.
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“We are dealing with this day-to-day basis of horrible circumstances because it just seems like [it is] more important to them [local officials] to argue with each other than to just try and fix the problem,” he added.
Fox News’ Dom Calicchio contributed to this report.
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