‘Riots’–Quiet Night, But Weekend Issues Brewing for Area?

Other than what are considered typical 'normal' calls, Kennewick and other police had a quiet evening Monday.

Unlike Sunday, when a group of rioters splintered off from a large crowd and caused damage to four businesses on West Canal Drive, no incidents were reported by officers.

Multiple units surrounded the CC Mall, and were positioned at other areas believed to possibly be targeted by what is said to be a group of younger persons.  Plus, several hundred citizens who are members of the group Defend The Tri also lined up in front of a variety of businesses all over the area. Officers also conducted patrols, and members of Defend The Tri also spent time late into the night driving by and checking on locations, from Uptown Richland to Downtown Kennewick.  There was also an increased presence of offices and citizens there as well.

The Defend The Tri people are not any official part of any law enforcement agency, but simply rendering help whenever possible, volunteering to stand guard etc.

Kennewick Police and other officers continue to closely investigate whether these Mid-Columbia persons are affiliated with Antifa.  Antifa groups, according to Federal officials, are not officially affiliated across the country; they say they are more 'bound' by an anarchist philosophy and tactics. It is known they were behind some of the riots on the West side, and were turned away in Snohomish and then in Kirkland by the presence of hundreds of armed citizens.

They're the group officially put on the Domestic Terrorist organization list this week by President Trump.

So far, those who have caused any local issues have NOT been conclusively linked to the domestic terrorist group that's responsible for much of the damage in Seattle, Everett, Bellevue and other locations.

Police also confirmed they are checking out multiple rumors and chatter that busloads of "protesters-agitators" may be headed to our region this weekend. There's been enough information that it is "on our radar" said a Police source, but not enough to say it's definitely going to happen.

There were a couple of smaller BLM-Floyd protest marches that went down Canal Drive early last evening in Kennewick, but Police said they were peaceful and uneventful with no problems whatsoever.