SEATTLE — Wilson’s announcement came one day after Seattle’s FIFA World Cup concluded Monday with its sixth and final match.
The U.S. men’s national team was vying for a spot in the quarterfinals but lost 4-1 to Belgium at Lumen Field — known as Seattle Stadium during the 39-day World Cup.
In an online post, Wilson said the decision fulfills a commitment she made last month that “these particular cameras would only be turned on for the duration of the FIFA World Cup in Seattle, because of its high profile and the unique circumstance surrounding the event.”
Wilson said the city also expects to receive an audit reviewing policies and practices governing all cameras connected to the Real Time Crime Center, including how the data they collect is stored and used.
The findings will be shared publicly and will help determine whether the city expands the camera program to additional areas, as previously proposed.
No new police CCTV cameras will be activated while the city awaits the audit. However, Wilson said cameras already operating in downtown, the Chinatown-International District, and along Aurora Avenue North will remain in service.
KOMO News reached out to the mayor’s office asking how the Stadium District cameras were used during the World Cup, whether they helped prevent or solve crimes, and whether law enforcement identified any significant public safety threats during the tournament.
Wilson first announced on June 5 that the Stadium District cameras would be activated during the FIFA World Cup. She had previously declined to turn them on despite their installation, citing privacy concerns. The mayor’s opposition to police-operated CCTV cameras centered on the possibility that the federal government could gain access to camera footage for immigration enforcement or abortion-related investigations involving people traveling to Washington for care.
Crowds during the World Cup were estimated to total about 1 million people over the course of Seattle’s six matches. No major security incidents were publicly reported during the tournament.
Wilson said on June 7 that the city would activate the cameras only for the duration of the World Cup.
“We decided to turn those cameras on for the duration of the games. After the World Cup, we will turn them off,” Wilson said.
With the cameras now deactivated, the decision has sharpened the debate over privacy and public safety. Supporters argue turning them off hampers police investigations, while opponents say the system threatens privacy and civil liberties.
Privacy advocate Erika Bryce Cannatelli of Seattle Solidarity Budget and others, including state Rep. Shaun Scott, rallied Tuesday on the steps of City Hall to urge the mayor to follow through on her promise.
“I think what you’re seeing is the movement that helped get Mayor Wilson into office can also be the movement that holds her accountable,” Scott told the crowd.
Demonstrators chanted, “Cameras down now! Cameras down!”
Privacy advocates are now urging the city not only to keep the Stadium District cameras off but also to remove cameras already operating in downtown, the Chinatown-International District, and along Aurora Avenue North. They also raised concerns about who has access to the footage, how long it is retained, and the use of automated analysis.
Asked about cases in which cameras have helped lead to arrests, Bryce said, “I’m glad people are getting justice, and we’re able to help people in need, but it goes to show this technology is limited in its usefulness.”
She emphasized that in those cases, footage is typically accessed after a crime is reported rather than through live monitoring.
Both the advocacy group and the mayor have said data should guide the city’s next steps. Bryce urged city leaders to closely review the audit and community feedback.
“Make sure all of the city leadership looks at the audit deeply and listens to the community deeply,” she said.
The Downtown Seattle Association criticized the decision, saying the cameras should remain on and arguing that turning them off “is blindfolding law enforcement and makes it harder to solve crimes.”
