Activists have taken on Seattle city leaders during protests, but who are their leaders?

SEATTLE — Several different local groups have been participating in the daily protests that began last week in the Seattle area following the death of George Floyd, but it's unclear if the groups are working together or who their leaders are.

The incoherence in leadership could complicate the task of city leaders, who have to plot a response to protests that have grown violent and chaotic at times.

Since Sunday, Rashyla Levitt, a bartender in Capitol Hill, and David Lewis, a project manager at Lululemon, have emerged as the consistent faces and voices leading marchers.

“My intention wasn’t to come out to lead," Levitt said. "My intention was to come out and just be a body.”

These fledgling activists say they want to bring genuine police reform and change to systemic racism in the wake of Floyd's death nine days ago by four Minneapolis police officers. His death, captured on a now viral video, has ignited a wave of coast-to-coast protests.

Lewis said the groups should stress that they are not involved with the riots that have resuloted.

“If we could prove to the city we could have a full day of peace, (then) something bigger could come," he said. "And sure enough, here we are."

But there is no consensus right now on how to get to fully peaceful protests.

The protest leaders are being criticized by some for their lack of experience, while others suggest they are undercover police officers, a charge they deny.

“I am not a plant," Levitt said. "I am not an officer."

He said it has made the task of leadership more challenging.

”People are now giving us death threats at times because of that accusation," Levitt said.

Leaders of Black Lives Matter said Levitt and Lewis are not officially part of their group.

“We have had no collaboration or communications with any hosts or organizations,” said Ebony Miranda, chairperson of the Seattle/King County chapter of Black Lives Matter.

Community activist Andre Taylor led his own march at Westlake Park on Saturday without any issues. He says these new leaders need to learn how to collaborate and play the long game.

“ I’m not going to bash those youngsters for trying to do what they are trying to do," Taylor said. "But what are we going to do next after the march?”

Lewis and Levitt have led marches that have grown bigger and sometimes violent, according to officials, but their events have been peaceful overall. The two were able to persuade Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best to address protesters on Tuesday, which led to another closed-door session on Wednesday.

Lewis and Levitt both work full time but now say this is their moment to lead.

"Every citizen of this nation should be in this for the long haul,” Lewis said.