Seattle, WA

Should Seattle reinstate its prostitution loitering law?

Published

2 years ago

May 7, 2024

Aurora Avenue debate: Should Seattle reinstate its prostitution loitering law?

With many concerned over crime on Seattle’s notorious Aurora Avenue, one city councilmember suggested reinstating an old prostitution loitering law.

SEATTLE – A renewed push for action on Seattle’s notorious Aurora Avenue has emerged.

Reports show that City Councilmember Cathy Moore suggested the reinstatement of an old loitering law to address escalating concerns over crime in the corridor. The proposal comes amidst mounting worries about exploitation and trafficking, issues that Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office has also vowed to tackle.

Harrell’s office announced Tuesday that May 7th will be designated as Child Sex Trafficking Prevention Day. The proclamation was made during an annual luncheon hosted by the non-profit organization StolenYouth, which identifies Aurora as the epicenter of sex trafficking in Washington State.

Renee Wallace, representing StolenYouth, highlighted the severity of the problem, noting that trafficking extends along the 99 corridor from Pacific Highway in the south to Aurora in the north. She emphasized that many children engaged in the sex trade are doing so out of necessity and may not fully comprehend the exploitation they endure.

StolenYouth estimates an estimated 500 children and youth (under the age of 24) are trafficked each year in Seattle alone.

“It’s a huge issue, especially since the pandemic, it has increased,” noted Wallace. “It’s not only on Aurora Avenue but it’s online as well.”

Wallace’s concerns are echoed by recent events, including a disturbing case earlier this year where Bellevue Police arrested a man who used Snapchat to lure underage girls from Oregon to his Federal Way home. Subsequently, the girls were forced into sex work on Aurora.

The issues on Aurora extend beyond exploitation, as evidenced by a recent incident captured on camera in March, depicting gunfire exchanged during a turf war between pimps near Northgate. Residents in the area have expressed growing fear for their safety amidst the escalating violence.

Aurora Avenue falls within District 5, represented by newly elected City Councilmember Cathy Moore, who has been inundated with complaints from constituents. In response, Moore has floated the idea of reviving an old city ordinance related to prostitution loitering, which was repealed unanimously in 2020 due to concerns over the potential discriminatory impact and arbitrary enforcement of such laws.

While some advocate for a crackdown, others, like Renee Wallace, emphasize the importance of prevention and addressing the root causes of exploitation. As a former victim of trafficking herself, Wallace believes that understanding and addressing the underlying vulnerabilities is crucial in combating sex trafficking.

“We tend to put a lot of Band-Aids on things and the city is hemorrhaging,” Wallace pointed out. “There is the misconception that it’s only happening out on the streets. Kids are more susceptible to getting exploited by playing online video games.”

As discussions continue, attention turns to whether Mayor Harrell will support Moore’s proposal. Her office reports she has been discussing solutions with his office in addition to former sex workers, the city attorney and Seattle Police.

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Seattle, WA

Valter Walker vs. Marcin Tybura booked for UFC Seattle

Published

8 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Valter Walker vs. Marcin Tybura booked for UFC Seattle

Heavyweights will collide in “Rain City.”

MMAmania.com confirmed with multiple sources today (Thurs., Jan. 8, 2026) that No. 10-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Marcin Tybura will take on surging Brazilian prospect Valter Walker at UFC Seattle on Sat., March 28, 2026, inside Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington.

Walker (15-1) stumbled out of the gate in his UFC debut, suffering a loss to Lukasz Brzeski in 2024. Since then, however, “Clean Monster” has completely rewritten the narrative — and the UFC record books.

Walker opened 2025 by submitting Don’Tale Mayes with a heel hook (watch highlights), his second straight victory via the technique. Five months later, he followed it up with another first-round heel hook against Kennedy Nzechukwu (watch highlights), setting a new UFC record for most consecutive heel hook submission wins with three.

But he wasn’t finished.

At UFC 321 in Oct. 2025, Walker once again locked in a first-round heel hook — this time against Louie Sutherland — tying Rousimar Palhares for the most heel hook submissions (four) in UFC history while extending his own record for consecutive heel hook finishes (watch it).

A win in Seattle would almost certainly vault Walker into the Top 10 of the Heavyweight rankings.

Tybura (27-10), meanwhile, will be defending his No. 10 spot when he steps into the cage. The Polish veteran went 1-1 in 2025, handing highly touted U.K. prospect Mick Parkin his first professional loss at UFC London before suffering a quick knockout loss to debuting Ante Delija at UFC Paris (watch highlights), snapping a two-fight win streak.

Now 40 years old, Tybura is 5-3 over his last eight appearances.

Here are some other bouts currently scheduled for UFC Seattle:

Casey O’Neill vs. Gabriella Fernandes

Alexa Grasso vs. Maycee Barber

Nicolle Caliari vs. Carol Fiori

To checkout UFC’s upcoming schedule of events click here.

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Around 200 protest fatal ICE shooting in front of Seattle’s federal building

Published

20 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Around 200 protest fatal ICE shooting in front of Seattle’s federal building

SEATTLE, Wash. – There were at least 200 protesters that showed up in Seattle Wednesday night in what speakers called an “emergency protest” in response to the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis Wednesday.

“We want justice, we want peace, we want justice, we want peace, we want ICE off our streets, we want ice off our streets…” they chanted.

Seattle protest on fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis

Seattle protesters outside the Federal Building following a fatal shooting by ICE agents in Minneapolis. (FOX 13 Seattle)

After listening to speakers, protesters went on the march and circled the blocks near the Federal Building in Seattle.

Though the protest was organized on short notice, some protesters say they were compelled to come out Wednesday with urgency because they felt what happened in Minneapolis was a bridge too far.

What they’re saying:

“ICE has gone too far. We’ve felt this, we’ve known this for a long time. There have been people protesting,” said Raleigh Watts, protesting the ICE shooting. “We’ve been hearing the news. Today I came out because when I heard, it was my sign that a line has been crossed that I can’t stand anymore. So, I’ve come to say, ‘No ICE, you’ve gone too far’.”

“A lot of people out here are really, really angry, confused and sad, but I think we have what it takes to fight back,” said Sophia Van Beek, protesting the MN ICE shooting. “I’m certain there are going to be actions.”

Sophia says in order to make a difference, protesters need to create an actionable political program.

Seattle protest on fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis

Members of law enforcement were in the area and helped to block off the streets during the protest and march. There were no clashes during this protest and it wrapped up at around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

“I am proud of all the hundreds of people who have turned out tonight at the federal building in Seattle. I’m proud of the people who are in Tacoma that are protesting at the ice detention center and in Minneapolis and in cities across the country. This is not okay for ICE to kill somebody,” said Watts.

What’s next:

Some people at Wednesday’s demonstration said they were planning to organize more protests in the coming weeks.

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The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.

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Seattle groups join national protest against ICE raids following Minneapolis shooting

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

Seattle groups join national protest against ICE raids following Minneapolis shooting

SEATTLE — Seattle activists are rallying to demand justice on Wednesday following the fatal shooting of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis.

The Seattle Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (SAARPR) and Seattle Against War (SAW) have organized an emergency press conference to protest the incident.

The event is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building in Seattle.

Woman killed by ICE officers in Minneapolis; Mayor tells ICE to ‘get the f***’ out

The shooting occurred on Wednesday morning at the corner of 34th and Portland Avenue in Minneapolis. According to preliminary information, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said, the woman was sitting in her vehicle blocking the roadway when a federal law enforcement officer approached on foot. When the vehicle began to drive away, at least two shots were fired, and the vehicle crashed on the side of the road.

In response, emergency protests have erupted in Minneapolis and are expected to continue through Jan. 11.

The Seattle groups are joining the Legalization 4 All Network in calling for an immediate end to ICE raids and mass deportations.

They are also demanding justice and accountability for the woman who was killed, including the release of the name of the ICE agent involved and the names of all agents participating in such operations.

This is a developing story; check back for updates.

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