Advocates Condemn Bothell Police Raids on Asian Massage Businesses as Racist and Sexist

In Bothell, a Seattle suburb, police conducted raids on five massage businesses in April, sparking accusations of discrimination and state violence against Asian women and immigrant workers. The Bothell Police Department described the operations as addressing "ongoing community concerns," but advocates say the actions exemplify systemic bias.

Rally Condemns Police Actions as Sexist and Racist

At an April 20 rally outside the King County Jail, organized by groups including the Massage Parlor Organizing Project (MPOP), Whose Streets? Our Streets, Red Canary Song, and the International Migrants Alliance, speakers denounced the raids. Lee Chen stated, "You're patting your own back for solving fabricated issues based on your own sexist, racist ideas, and Asian massage workers are paying the price."

J.M. Wong, an organizer, criticized the conduct of police during the raids: "When these police officers entered these businesses, they barely identified themselves. There was no language interpretation. There was no identifying of Miranda rights. People did not know that they could maintain silence."

One Arrest, No Charges, and Five Business Shutdowns

Two of the raided businesses—including one near the Bothell police headquarters—are owned by Lizhen Yang, according to KIRO 7. Yang and her husband deny any wrongdoing. Police arrested Yang on April 14 on suspicion of promoting prostitution and human trafficking, but she was released the next day without charges. Her case status is now listed as "closed" in the King County jail system.

All five businesses were shut down over fire code violations. MPOP questioned the targeting of immigrant businesses: "Why are immigrant businesses being targeted by large-scaled investigations and raids by detectives, police, and fire department over fire code violations?"

MPOP also alleged that police "ripped security cameras from walls, toppled furniture, knocked down doors, signage, and artwork from the walls" during the raids. "They also seized money from workers," the group stated. The workers, now unemployed, received no indication from police about whether or when the businesses might reopen.

Raids Harm Workers, Advocates Say

MPOP emphasized that such raids "don't help workers," who may face trauma, loss of livelihood, and threats of deportation. The group described these operations as part of "systems that silence and criminalize the very workers they claim to be 'saving.'"

Pattern of Policing Highlights Broader Issues

MPOP noted that the Bothell raids are part of a larger trend of "carceral anti-trafficking," where exploitation—real or perceived—is addressed through police violence, displacement of workers, and shutdowns of immigrant businesses. These operations often involve partnerships with agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Ten years ago, a similar operation was widely reported. King County authorities had announced it as a major bust of an international sex trafficking ring, though subsequent scrutiny raised questions about its methods and outcomes.