The protest situation in Seattle has reached a new level of chaos after the Seattle Police, seeking “deescalation,” retreated from a now-boarded up East Precinct building, allowing radical protesters to set up what they’ve declared “The Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” that encompasses several blocks of the city.
After a showdown between left-wing rioters and police on Sunday, Democratic Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced late Monday an effort to “de-escalate” the situation by ordering the police to pull out of the East Precinct.
“In an effort to proactively de-escalate interactions between protestors and law enforcement outside the East Precinct, Chief Best and [Seattle Police Department] officers have removed barricades surrounding the East Precinct while safely securing the facility,” Durkan said in a statement posted on social media Monday night. “…Keeping demonstrations peaceful must be a joint effort between our community members and law enforcement. I am hopeful that tonight, with these operational changes, our city can peacefully move forward together.”
Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best framed the decision to pull police out of the area as an exercise in “trust and deescalation.”
Left-wing outlet Democracy Now! describes the situation in triumphant terms, reporting that “protesters are claiming victory after they established a barricaded zone around a police precinct building that had been the site of protests — and a brutal police crackdown — for eight days.” Meanwhile, the Seattle City Council is discussing “demilitarizing or defunding the police force,” including a newly submitted bill that would ban the use of chokeholds and chemical weapons.
Video and images from “The Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” have circulated online. Among those on the scene was Townhall’s Julio Rosas, who documented the police retreat and subsequent radical takeover.
“I’m outside of the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct for [Townhall],” Rosas tweeted Tuesday. “Police have pulled out of the area and protesters have set up barricades in the streets. They have declared it a ‘Cop Free Zone.'”
Rosas provides photos of some of the signs posted in the protester-controlled zone. Along with demands to defund the Seattle Police and drop all charges against protesters is a message that reads, “The cops will always be racist because capitalism requires inequality,” Rosas reports. Another message posted on a barricade declares, “Now Leaving The USA.”
“SDOT has moved into the area to remove some of the barricades,” Rosas reports in another post. “They have negotiated with the protesters to leave most of the barricades in place. Protesters said they want them in place to keep white supremacists out.” Rosas also posted video of a large crowd of protesters marching away from the East Precinct in the streets of Seattle, chanting, “Defund SPD!” He notes that he has yet to see “any police presence.”
I’m outside of the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct for @townhallcom. Police have pulled out of the area and protesters have set up barricades in the streets. They have declared it a “Cop Free Zone.” pic.twitter.com/iYFQ9B4jhz
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) June 9, 2020
Protesters have put on the barricades that those coming into the area are “now leaving the USA” and entering the “Cap Hill autonomous zone” or “Free Capitol Hill.” pic.twitter.com/zGNBYAyLOg
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) June 9, 2020
Marching away from the East Precinct in the streets of Seattle, large protest crowd chants: “Defund SPD!”
Have yet to see any police presence. pic.twitter.com/XL9tRdORsE
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) June 10, 2020
A lot more people are back outside SPD’s East Precinct, which is now being called a community center inside the “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone.” pic.twitter.com/doFceoXjIm
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) June 10, 2020
11th and Pine is a far different scene than last night. pic.twitter.com/D6e1zIeUbp
— Alex Garland (@AGarlandPhoto) June 9, 2020
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