Mayor Wilson agrees to turn on stadium-area cameras ahead of World Cup

Mayor Katie Wilson reversed course Friday on the use of closed-circuit television cameras in Seattle's stadium district, giving the green light to turn them on before the upcoming FIFA Men's World Cup.

The police surveillance cameras have already been installed near the two Sodo-area stadiums. But amid concerns about their weaponization by the federal government and a broader incursion into individuals' privacy, Wilson had previously said she would only turn them on in the event of a "credible threat" to security.

Now, following briefings from both the Seattle Police Department and FBI, Wilson said the general but credible threats to safety and security during the games" were significant enough to warrant their use.

"The safety and security of residents, visitors, and fans is our highest priority, and I understand that many community members are deeply concerned about privacy, civil liberties, and the appropriate use of public safety technology," she said in a statement. "I share those values. While I have decided to have the cameras ready to help us quickly establish situational awareness near the stadiums if needed, we will continue honing our policies and protections to safeguard the data these videos capture."

Wilson's initial hesitance to use the cameras frustrated their supporters, particularly several members of the Seattle City Council. Councilmember Bob Kettle, who chairs the council's public safety committee, was the most outspoken critic of Wilson's skepticism, accusing her earlier this week of improperly ignoring council-passed legislation to expand camera use. Should tragedy strike during the World Cup and the cameras were unavailable, he said, that would fall on Wilson's shoulders.

This marks Wilson's first endorsement of a wider camera network, six months after a campaign in which she repeatedly voiced skepticism of additional surveillance. She used the issue as a cudgel against former Mayor Bruce Harrell, giving heart to those who opposed their wider use.

But since taking office, she's taken a softer stance toward camera use - repeatedly acknowledging their role in investigations by the Seattle Police Department, which she now oversees.

Seattle already has a relatively small network of surveillance cameras, dotted throughout downtown, the Chinatown International District and on Aurora Avenue.

Last year, the council - with support from Harrell - authorized additional cameras on Capitol Hill, near Garfield High School and around the stadiums.

Though the council approved the expansion, implementation fell to the mayor's office. Civil rights and privacy advocates, as well as many volunteers on Wilson's campaign, urged her to pause the expansion or even roll back the cameras already in use. President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration enforcement and stances on abortion rights and gender-related care added urgency to their calls.

In January, Wilson tried to compromise. She paused the new expansion in Capitol Hill and near Garfield. She authorized installation near the stadiums, but said they would only be used in the event of a "credible threat." She also announced the city would partner with New York University to investigate the civil rights and privacy risks of their use, in addition to a separate audit into their usefulness to law enforcement.

The announcement was initially met with begrudging acceptance by both pro- and anti-camera voices. But as the World Cup has approached, voices in favor of their use have grown louder and more desperate.

"If something tragic happens, then that's going to be her legacy and her responsibility and something for her to deal with," Kettle said earlier this week.

Now that Wilson has made the decision to turn them on near the stadiums, Kettle struck a more conciliatory tone.

"This difficult decision is an important one to ensure our public safety readiness ahead of our 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup matches, he said in a statement.

Seattle law requires any equipment that can be used as surveillance to go through thorough and public review. The cameras have additional requirements layered on top, namely that they must be turned off for at least 60 days if the federal government is found to be trying to access their feeds for civil immigration enforcement or to target people seeking reproductive or gender-related care.

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