Over 100 Seattle businesses damaged by protesters this week

SEATTLE - The latest numbers show 101 businesses were damaged by protesters and some looters in Seattle from Friday to Monday during protests in the wake of George Floyd's death.

That’s according to experts from the Downtown Seattle Association. They said it will take millions of dollars overall for stores and restaurants in the city to make repairs and rebuild.

While businesses are grateful demonstrations in the last few days have been largely peaceful, they are preparing for anything should these protests take a turn.

"It was so scary, it’s just this helpless feeling of there’s nothing we can do," said Jamie Munson.

Munson is the owner of Simply Seattle, a business already struggling under COVID-19. Now his economic stress is multiplied after looters swept through his store Saturday.

Munson said it’ll take between $10,000 to $20,000 to recover altogether, delaying the eventual opening of his shop by a matter of weeks for whenever King County moves to phase 1.5.

"It is such a good movement, it is such a great protest, and the voices need to be heard, but then to have it end in destruction and violence and people hurt and that’s just not what anyone wants all around," Munson said.

The newest numbers released by the Downtown Seattle Association show that the majority of damages this weekend happened on Saturday in what’s called the “retail core;" this area extends roughly from Stewart to Seneca Streets between 2nd and 7th Avenues. That’s where 69 businesses were hit by protesters and some looters.

Twenty businesses suffered damages Friday in Chinatown International District. At least eight businesses were targeted by protesters in recent days on Capitol Hill. In total, four businesses were struck in Belltown.

Don Blakeney with the Downtown Seattle Association said businesses are seeing if insurance can help with these latest setbacks, adding that coming up with a long-term game plan on how to recover economically will take coordination.

"We’re going to need all the city and the county and the business community all kind of in alignment about how to do that successfully," Blakeney said.

KOMO News followed-up with Bellevue Square which got significant damages Sunday from looters.

In total, they said just over 20 percent of their stores and restaurants were hit by looters. They said it’s too early to determine how these damages may impact the timing of their eventual reopening under a modified phase one.