Public Defender Arrested After Incident At University

By
Gregory McMullen
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In a dramatic turn Monday night, law enforcement agencies dismantled an illegal occupation of the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building at the University of Washington (UW), arresting more than 30 individuals linked to an escalating series of radical protests over Israel’s war against Hamas. Among the arrested: a public defender, a nurse, and known associates of Antifa.

This incident marks a decisive shift in UW’s approach to increasingly aggressive anti-Israel demonstrations that have disrupted campus life and drawn federal attention.

Around 5:30 p.m., masked agitators—many clad in black and equipped with riot gear—seized control of the building. They displayed a large banner featuring Shaban al-Dalou, a Palestinian teenager reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike, and demanded UW sever all ties with Boeing, citing the company’s involvement in manufacturing weapons used by Israel.

The group renamed the building in al-Dalou’s honor, using it as a symbolic stage to amplify their anti-Israel rhetoric. But the night quickly devolved. Outside the building, Antifa-style militants formed a blockade, armed with makeshift shields adorned with Antifa symbols. Fires were set using dumpsters and debris, creating a barricade to impede law enforcement.

By 10:40 p.m., a multi-agency task force—comprised of UW Police, Seattle Police, and Washington State Patrol—moved in. Riot officers breached the building and carried out arrests, as captured in footage by The Post Millennial. The entire operation lasted several hours, and those arrested were charged with criminal trespassing. Most were released by Tuesday morning, though court proceedings are underway for more than two dozen of the arrestees.

The University of Washington Police Department released the names of the individuals taken into custody. Among them:

  • Sam Sueoka, a King County public defender with a history of representing criminal protesters involved in anti-Israel actions.

  • Tayler Christine Hart, a nurse employed at Harborview Medical Center.

  • Multiple individuals with known affiliations to Antifa and other radical protest organizations.

The presence of government employees and healthcare professionals raises troubling questions about the entanglement of extremist activism with public institutions.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has confirmed that the arrested individuals face gross misdemeanor charges. Some have already had court appearances, and all were initially held on $1,000 bail.

In a strongly worded statement, UW President Ana Mari Cauce unequivocally condemned the protest:

“This was no peaceful protest. It was a dangerous, violent, and illegal occupation,” she said. “We will not engage in dialogue with any group using or condoning such destructive tactics.”

Cauce added that disciplinary actions are being pursued in tandem with law enforcement, and she made clear the university is working to determine whether any of those arrested were UW students.

This comes after Cauce was previously criticized in spring 2024 for allowing a pro-Gaza encampment to operate on campus with minimal intervention—a decision that led to accusations of appeasement and intensified scrutiny of antisemitism on college campuses.

In response, the university has since rolled out new policies to address antisemitic behavior and restore campus order.

The occupation and arrests have renewed federal pressure on the University of Washington. The Trump administration has threatened to withhold federal funding from universities that allow anti-Israel activism to spill into violence or violate civil rights protections—especially when those actions intersect with antisemitism.

With this recent incident, the UW may now face heightened scrutiny over its compliance with federal campus safety and anti-discrimination laws.

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