Uh...that was happening in Seattle every night. That's what led to this. There was night after night after night of police using flashbangs, teargas, and mace

Uh...that was happening in Seattle every night. That's what led to this. There was night after night after night of police using flashbangs, teargas, and mace on mostly peaceful protests. It was extremely unpopular with both the protestors and the local residents. There have been many calls for the mayor to resign over the repeated use of force. So the police finally stopped with the violence. They just...left. They abandoned the East Precinct, expecting the protestors to burn it down. The protestors decided not to burn it down, and instead set up an occupy style movement on the streets outside the police station. But, yes. They definitely tried rubber bullets, teargas and mace first.