AUBURN, Wash. — It's being reported around the country. Bricks mysteriously popping up at protests, sometimes nowhere near construction zones.
No one is sure who has been putting pallets of bricks along city streets or why, but photos and videos are circulating on social media.
There have been reports in Texas, California, New York, and now in Auburn, Washington, where police said they are dealing with a similar situation.
Auburn police said a city maintenance worker was emptying the trash on Main Street when they found bags filled with bricks, rocks, and cement pieces hidden in two trash cans. Police said they believe the bags may have been strategically placed in trash cans in the area where a Black Lives Matter protest was scheduled for later in the day.
In response, the city decided to remove all trash cans from Main Street downtown to eliminate any potential problems. Business owners also boarded up windows along Main Street ahead of the demonstration.
Auburn Police Commander Mike Hirman said the department supports the right to protest but added they want to make sure it’s done in a safe way.
“We considered the fact that maybe these people were coming into town and trying to stage some weapons that they could use during the protest and make it violent, where a majority of the protesters did not want that,” said Hirman.
The protests in Auburn were peaceful. In a picture captured by the Auburn Examiner, an officer was seen kneeling with a crying demonstrator at the peaceful protest.
Hirman said they did not find any substantiating evidence to connect the bricks with the planned protest.
Investigators viewed security camera footage from near where the bricks were found and did not see anything of concern.
A rumor was also circulating on social media that a pallet of bricks was left in the city. Hirman said they looked into this, and investigators did not find any pallets or evidence that there was ever any pallets left in the area.