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Volunteers, Seattle workers gather to clean up vandalism in city's International District

Volunteers and city workers clean up in Seattle's Chinatown-International District following a weekend of protests that ended with vandalism.
Will James
/
KNKX
Volunteers and city workers clean up in Seattle's Chinatown-International District following a weekend of protests that ended with vandalism.

Seattle's Chinatown-International District teemed with volunteers and city workers Sunday. They were trying to undo some of the damage in a neighborhood hit hard by vandalism during the weekend's protests.

David Leong owns Fortuna Cafe near the neighborhood's iconic Wing Luke Museum. The business survived a first wave of window breaking during protests Friday.

But Leong says someone broke in early Sunday, after more protests.

" I felt really sad and let down,” he said. “I said, 'Come on.' You know, my family's been here 85 years. What is this city turning into, you know?"

But by afternoon volunteers and workers were on several blocks, cutting boards and placing them over windows.

Jazmine Smith was there in a "Black Lives Matter" T-shirt, helping board up a restaurant.

"This is my city, this is my community. And, um, this is just as much a part of resistance as being in the streets."

As for Leong, he says he doesn't blame the many peaceful protesters for the few who caused damage.

Will James is a former KNKX reporter and was part of the special projects team, reporting and producing podcasts such as Outsiders and The Walk Home.