In a ruling Friday night, a federal judge blocked a new Seattle law that prohibits police from using pepper spray and other riot weapons.
The new law would take effect on Sunday, but federal district judge James Robart granted a request from the federal government to block the measure, the Seattle Times reported.
The Seattle City Council passed the new law unanimously last month, hoping to reduce violent confrontations between police and protesters.
SEATTLE MEDIA MUST PROVIDE UNPUBLISHED PROTEST VIDEOS AND PHOTOS TO THE POLICE, JUDGE RULES
But the US Justice Department argued that the inability to use pepper spray, blast balls and other devices could lead to increased use of force by police, not the least, the Times reported.
Seattle police officers hold weapons as they stand guard outside the East Precinct Building recently. (Associated Press)
In his ruling, Robart determined that the situation required further discussion between the city and the Justice Department, which years ago signed a settlement agreement regarding a review by the police department due to past complaints about excessive force and partial surveillance.
Robart called his restraining order blocking the law “very temporary” and advised the city and the Justice Department to engage in constructive discussions on the next step.
“I urge everyone to use it as an occasion to try to find out where we are and where we are going,” he said, according to the Times. “I can’t tell you today if blast balls are a good idea or a bad idea, but I know I approved some time ago.”
Ahead of the judge’s ruling on Friday, Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best, in anticipation of the new law that would take effect Sunday, announced plans for “tight deployment” methods that she said were designed to protect police officers who would not have access to riot weapons. .
But Friday’s judge’s ruling moves the boss’s plans debatable, at least for now.
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Meanwhile, on Thursday, a federal government plan arrived in Seattle, with federal law enforcement officers expected to be deployed this weekend to protect federal buildings from possible unrest.
They would increase the deployment of the local police.
Robart is the presiding judge in the 2012 consent decree requiring Seattle city officials to address past allegations of excessive force and partial vigilance.
Caitlin McFall, David Aaro, and The Fox News Associated Press contributed to this story.
