During the June 2 City Council meeting, Newcastle Mayor Linda Newing issued the following statement. This is in addition to the message from the King County Sheriff's Office regarding the local measures in place to ensure deputies are properly trained and respectful to all members of our community.

On April 21, I signed a proclamation stating the City of Newcastle has zero tolerance for racial biases. Our City staff and City Council are committed to building a culture of inclusivity. We all recognize that we are stronger as a community when we stand together against discrimination.

That’s why I was outraged to learn that not even one month later, a Newcastle restaurant employee experienced racial-related verbal abuse while serving a customer. The comment was so hurtful that the employee was traumatized for several days. There is no tolerance for such behavior in our community, and that was evident as citizens spoke out in overwhelming force to support this employee over social media. I’m planning to meet with her soon to let her know that our community supports her and that person was not representative of our Newcastle values.

Just days later, our nation was rocked by the tragic, senseless death of George Floyd. I am angry, America is angry, and Mr. Floyd should be honored by holding those responsible for his death accountable. Over the past few days, citizens near and far exercised their fundamental right to protest this injustice, only to see their moment hijacked by individuals intent on creating chaos. Please do not allow the actions of the looters and vandals to obscure the call for justice and equality.

Here in Newcastle, our amazing Police Officers led by Chief Jason Houck go above and beyond to proactively and positively engage with our community in an effort to build public trust. They also go through extensive training to examine their own implicit biases and practice de-escalation principles. The system is far from perfect, but all of us here at the City of Newcastle are committed to standing with our community to create a world that is fair, just and equal for every single resident. 

We have all been pushed to the edge over the past several months. Many of us wonder how much more can we take? How much longer? I know I do. I encourage you to remember you are a member of "Humankind." Please take it upon yourself to restore the "kind" in society and treat others as you wish to be treated. Remember, you live in a community that believes in the equality and safety of all people, and will not tolerate hate, discrimination or harassment. Let’s work together to ensure we never forget this message.