On Saturday, Seattle police arrested two individuals associated with Antifa during a direct action advocating for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
One transgender adult was taken into custody on assault charges, while a juvenile female was apprehended for obstructing police. The incident occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. at Alki Beach Park in West Seattle, where hundreds gathered to protest President Donald Trump’s nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration following years of open border policies under the Biden administration.
Janelle Gipaya Howard, 32, of Bellingham, was arrested and booked into King County Jail on assault charges. Seattle Police Detective Brian Pritchard stated that Howard allegedly assaulted another protester in front of officers. Howard, who has a history of violent activities linked to Antifa, was released the following day on $1,000 bail. The Post Millennial confirmed Howard’s identity with Seattle police. Video footage shows officers conducting a targeted arrest to detain Howard, whose face was covered at the time of the attack.
Howard had previously been arrested in September 2020 for criminal activity during an Antifa-led attack on the Seattle police union building, where Molotov cocktails were reportedly present.
The victim, identified as Bennett Haselton, claimed on X that Howard shoved him to the ground under orders from Antifa militant Christina Devitt. Haselton, a long-time critic of Antifa’s violent tactics, has faced multiple assaults at demonstrations in the Pacific Northwest. Devitt, who has past ties to MS-13, has been arrested for her extremist activism and is currently a suspect in an assault case targeting Jewish individuals and an independent videographer.
Seattle police identified the second arrested individual only as a juvenile female. Authorities reported that she was dressed in Antifa’s black bloc militant uniform and obstructed a patrol vehicle with activated lights, preventing it from moving. She was taken into custody and later released to a parent.
Authorities intervened approximately two hours into the “Abolish ICE” protest, which began with music and speeches at Alki Beach Park before demonstrators marched toward the pier. Photos show the protest was heavily populated with Mexican flags and anti-ICE signage. Only city police appeared to be present at the demonstration, and tensions escalated after the arrests when protesters temporarily blocked traffic on Alki Avenue. A livestream recorded by Devitt captured verbal abuse directed at police officers during the confrontation.
Following the officers’ departure, the demonstration resumed and later dispersed. This was the second protest at the location within a week. On February 2, a demonstration became chaotic after a car caught fire. Video footage showed the crowd chanting anti-police slogans while waving Mexican flags.
Seattle is one of several jurisdictions under investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for acting as a “sanctuary” for illegal migrants. Last week, Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered DOJ prosecutors to investigate sanctuary jurisdictions potentially obstructing federal immigration enforcement. On Friday, King County, which includes Seattle, joined other sanctuary jurisdictions in suing the Trump administration, alleging violations of states’ rights and federal overreach.
Since Trump reentered the White House on January 20, ICE ERO Seattle has intensified enforcement efforts, arresting numerous illegal immigrants with serious criminal records across the Pacific Northwest. Those arrested include individuals convicted of child rape, sexual assault, assault with a deadly weapon, theft, DUI, drug manufacturing, and other crimes.
ICE encourages the public to report immigration-related crimes or suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing an online tip form.
