SEATTLE — In neighborhoods like Little Saigon, near 12th and Jackson, the drug crisis is hard to miss.

Crowds gather on sidewalks, some openly using drugs while others sell stolen goods. The area has become one of Seattle’s most visible hotspots for crime, disorder, and overdose response.

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Seattle’s drug ordinance was meant to address scenes like this. It requires police to focus on diversion, not jail, for people caught using or possessing drugs.

On Tuesday, the Seattle City Council’s Public Safety Committee received a presentation on the effectiveness of the drug law and the diversion programs officers can make referrals to instead of jail.

Under department policy, officers are encouraged to refer people to treatment or services whenever possible. Arrest is supposed to be a last resort. And programs like LEAD, or Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, are available 24/7 to divert people before they ever reach jail.

Research presented during the public safety presentation shows diversion can work. Independent studies found LEAD reduced repeat offenses by nearly 60%, cut felony charges, and significantly increased housing and employment outcomes.

However, the reality on the ground looks significantly different.

SEE ALSO | Belltown residents report rampant drug activity despite new SODA law

Open drug use remains a common sight in some of Seattle’s hardest-hit neighborhoods, even as the city’s drug law was designed to prioritize treatment over jail.

From 2024 to 2025, pre-arrest diversion dropped by 41%, and LEAD diversions overall fell by 30%. At the same time, arrests increased by 47%.

Funding cuts to LEAD in recent years had an impact on reducing its capacity, though that funding has since been stabilized.

During the meeting, Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes said diversion is still a key part of the solution, but not the only one. Barnes said officers need clearer standards for when to act, especially as the public grows frustrated seeing illegal drug use happening openly, sometimes right in front of police.

Current policy includes a broad checklist of factors before making an arrest, from a person’s behavior to their location near schools, parks, or transit. That complexity can lead to inaction.

SEE ALSO | Evaluating Seattle’s efforts against open-air drug use presents progress and challenges

Barnes also pointed to operational realities, including staffing challenges and limited diversion capacity, as factors affecting how the law is being enforced.

Meanwhile, illegal street sales continue to fuel the crisis, creating environments where drug use, theft, and violence intersect.

During public testimony at the start of the meeting, some community members said what’s needed is a more balanced approach, one that enforces clear public behavior standards while expanding access to treatment and outreach.

Without that, the system risks leaving neighborhoods unsafe while also not providing the help needed by people living with addiction.

Seattle Palestinian cultural festival participants applauded an al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades terrorist, released as part of a ransom for hostages held in Gaza, as he was introduced as the keynote speaker at a Saturday event.

Speaking by video call from Egypt, according to Instagram stories published by Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return at the University of Washington (SUPER UW), Raed Abduljalil told participants of the Palestinian Cultural Resistance Festival that their actions were “an essential part of the battle we are waging against the occupation and its supporters.”

“Stay vigilant, for homelands are protected only by their conscious and aware. And I tell you today: I am more convinced than ever that I chose the right path,” the Fatah-affiliated terrorist said, according to SUPER UW. “Until we meet, God willing, under the sky of a liberated homeland.”

Abduljalil was released last February after serving 23 years of a life sentence in prison, according to Quds News and Wattan, responsible for terrorist attacks that resulted in deaths and injuries.

In promotional materials for the event organized by SUPER UW, Nidal Seattle, and Seattle University Students for Justice in Palestine, Abduljalil was described as a “freed Palestinian political prisoner and author” who had met and “struggled alongside” arch terrorist Marwan Barghouti and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) cell commander Walid Daqqa.

“Please don’t miss this important opportunity to learn not only the horrific conditions of the zionist prisons, but of the incredible work and teachings of the compass of the Palestinian resistance: its beloved prisoners,” Seattle University SJP in an April 12 Instagram post.

The program was held at the Cherry Street Village interfaith community center, which, four days prior, hosted a SUPER UW fundraiser for Lebanon and a screening of a documentary about “armed resistance” against Israel.

SUPER UW on April 15 told supporters it was a “crucial time to raise funds to materially support as well as deepen our understandings of the Lebanese resistance.” These remarks led the Department of Justice to announce on Tuesday that it was investigating UW’s handling of antisemitism.

SUPER UW and Nidal Seattle are affiliated with a network of organizations tied to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.