The 34th District Democrats announce the creation of a Non-Violent Resistance Committee to research, plan, and lead a local response to federal government overreach that protects our community, liberties, and democracy in the 34th Legislative District.

“We’ve all seen news of National Guard troops being sent to cities uninvited, of ICE and Border Patrol agents getting increasingly aggressive and violent, and of immigrants and citizens alike being caught up and detained, harmed, or killed,” said committee chair Kenny Austin. “Seattle hasn’t been targeted to the level of L.A., D.C., or Chicago yet, but hoping for the best is not a plan. Failing to plan is planning to fail. This committee will work proactively to advise individuals and the 34th Democrats as an organization so we’re ready when Trump turns his attention on Seattle.”

“What do you do if you see ICE raiding a local business? If National Guard troops are deployed to your neighborhood? If our midterms or ballot drop boxes are interfered with? These are the types of questions we will seek to answer,” Austin added.

The Non-Violent Resistance Committee will perform its research by asking vulnerable communities what support they need, talking to experts in non-violent resistance, legal experts, historians, and peers in impacted cities. The committee will explore what forms of non-violent resistance have been tried, what worked, what failed, and what are most likely to work here. It will work collaboratively with other organizations dedicated to non-violent resistance, supporting democracy, or supporting vulnerable communities that are being targeted by the Trump administration.

“If ever there was a time for us to stand together, it’s now,” said 34th Dems chair Jordan Crawley. “This administration’s depravity is boundless. We cannot be silent. To do nothing is to accept and normalize what they’re doing. As an Army veteran myself, I respect and echo the call of those Democratic lawmakers who encouraged servicemembers to disobey unlawful orders. We cannot and will not be intimidated into tolerating tyranny. As the Chair of the 34th Democrats, I am proud to stand with Kenny and the other leaders who have agreed to put their time and energy into this effort, and hope others will join us in answering this call to action.”

If you are interested in joining the Non-Violent Resistance Committee’s work, contact committee chair Kenny Austin at nvrc@34dems.org.