The Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone née "Free Capitol" is a 6 block section around the East Precinct in Seattle, WA. Minor changes to the protest zone will implement safer and sturdier barriers to protect individuals in this area. The zone was formed following the Seattle Police Department's sudden abandonment of the East Precinct after ten days of barricades, tear gas, pepper spray, and flashbang grenades used against largely peaceful protesters. [8] Other signs declared "You are now leaving the USA. [66][67][68], Protests over the killing of George Floyd and police brutality began in Seattle on May 29, 2020. He expressed concern that his case was not being properly investigated due to the perception that protesters had "asked for the police not to be there, so don't act like y'all need them now. [20] Mayor Jenny Durkan issued a ban on tear gas on June 5. [37] The size of CHOP decreased four days later, when roadblocks were replaced and moved. Supplies currently split between 11th/Pike and the precinct building entrance. [38] The new layout was posted on Mayor Durkan's blog, which explained: "The City is committed to maintaining space for community to come to together, protest and exercise their first amendment rights. We were ready to go in and they knew that too. "[200], Protests continued in the streets of Seattle after the sweep of the CHOP zone. [21] City, county, and state representatives joined demonstrators on the front lines on June 6, when flash bangs and pepper spray were used on the crowd. He declined to speak with SPD detectives. [133] That same day, NPR reported, "Nobody inside the protest zone thinks a police return would end peacefully. She called for the protesters to turn the precinct into a community center [141], On June 7, the day prior to the zone's founding, a man drove into a crowd of protesters. The manipulated and wrongly used images were removed, with Fox News stating that it "regrets these errors". Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County Freedom Fund, Medium – The Demands of the Collective Black Voices at Free Capitol Hill to the Government of Seattle, Washington. Life In The Zone. [168] Most of the people interviewed by Vox had participated in the protests, but most did not feel safe walking in the area at night, especially in late June. [118] On June 11, Durkan responded further, saying that the president wanted to tell a story about domestic terrorists with a radical agenda to fit his law-and-order initiatives, but that lawfully expressing first amendment rights to demand better of society was patriotism, not terrorism. Fox News published digitally altered and misleading photos on stories about Seattle's Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) in what photojournalism experts called a clear violation of ethical standards for news organizations. Raz Simone is not in charge. Some businesses reported that the continued police presence deterred customers.[178]. Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best gave a video address to officers in the Seattle police department Thursday in which she explained that the mayor had overruled police in allowing the “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” to be established, and that police were now receiving reports of an ongoing protection racket. [3] Seattle police also posted a video on YouTube containing examples of violent incidents in the Capitol Hill area. The protest area was identified by several names, with the "Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone" (CHAZ) most common at the outset, along with "Free Capitol Hill". [60][61] Since 2012, the SPD had been under federal oversight after being found to have used excessive force and biased policing. [34] SPD Chief Carmen Best expressed that the department was looking to reduce their footprint,[35] but later clarified that officials aimed to return officers to the precinct, as it was paramount they were able to respond to calls in a timely fashion. Pictures from around the commune, taken by various photographers. "[157], At the same press conference, Police Chief Best spoke of "groups of individuals engaging in shootings, a rape, assault, burglary, arson and property destruction." ", "Seattle issues 30-day ban on tear gas at protests", "Seattle-area protests: Live updates for Sunday, June 7", "Seattle's CHOP Went Out With Both a Bang and a Whimper", "Seattle Police Clear Capitol Hill Protest Zone After Mayor Issues Emergency Order", "Huge Black Lives Matter mural in progress on Capitol Hill street", "What's Going On in CHAZ, the Seattle Autonomous Zone? [193][194][195] In what CNN called "an apparent reference to the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) in Seattle," protesters on June 22 spray-painted "BHAZ", standing for Black House Autonomous Zone, on the pillars of St. John's Episcopal Church, which sits across the street from Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C.[196] The next day, President Trump tweeted, "There will never be an 'Autonomous Zone' in Washington, D.C., as long as I'm your President. "[151] City Council member Lisa Herbold, chair of the public safety committee, said the suggestion that the crowd interfered with access to victims "defies belief". [212], Self-proclaimed autonomous neighborhood in Seattle, "CHAZ" redirects here. [108] On June 12, Police Chief Best said, "Rapes, robberies and all sorts of violent acts have been occurring in the area and we have not been able to get to it. The mayor announced that officials are working with the community to bring the zone to an end. A fence section formerly used as a barricade against protesters who established what they call an autonomous zone in Seattle, Wash., June 9, 2020. [146], Emergency dispatchers received the first reports of gunshots (at 10th Avenue and East Pine Street) at 2:19 a.m.[144] A 19-year-old black man, Horace Lorenzo Anderson Jr, was transported to Harborview Medical Center with multiple gunshot wounds by volunteer medics, but was pronounced dead shortly afterward, at 2:53 a.m.[143][147][148][13] A local rapper known as "Lil Mob", Anderson had graduated from high school the previous day. In a separate incident, the Fox News website ran articles about protests in Seattle; however, the accompanying photo of a burning city was actually taken in Saint Paul, Minnesota the previous month. [74][21], At the request of citizens, on June 6, a group of public representatives (including four City Council-members, a King County Council-member, state Senator Joe Nguyen, and state Representative Nicole Macri) joined demonstrators on the front lines, when officers again used flash bang grenades and pepper spray to control the crowd. [3][177], After reclaiming the East Precinct, the SPD maintained road blocks in the area and restricted access to local residents, workers and business proprietors. Twitter placed a public interest notice on Trump's tweet for violating the company's policy against abusive behavior—"specifically," Twitter explained, "the presence of a threat of harm against an identifiable group. Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone updates: Friday actions for ‘a new generation’ and a general strike, and yes, CHAZ does, indeed, attract the worst kind of people (Tim Eyman) Posted on Thursday, June 11, 2020 - 5:34 pm by jseattle Compassion and law-enforcement should not be mutually exclusive. [5] Mayor Durkan described the area on June 11 as four blocks in Seattle with a "block party" atmosphere, a common occurrence for Capitol Hill, stating, "It's not an armed takeover. Seattle. [112] The name change was the result of a consensus to de-emphasize occupation, and for better accuracy. [91], The Seattle Times on June 11 reported that restaurant owners in the area had an uptick in walk-up business and a concomitant reduction in delivery costs. Getty Images Inside the "Autonomous Zone" A 16-year-old African American male named Antonio Mays Jr. was killed and a 14-year-old male was in critical condition with gunshot injuries. Areas were set up to serve expression of free speech and to facilitate discourse, which included the construction of a community vegetable garden. "We cannot let acts of violence define this movement for change," she said, adding that the city "will not allow for gun violence to continue in the evenings around Capitol Hill." A vigil for George Floyd is pictured in the "Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone", on Thursday, June 11, 2020. [18] Near midnight on June 8, tear gas was deployed again, despite the mayor's ban. [98], The intersection of 12th and Pine was converted into a square for teach-ins, where a microphone was used for organizing, and to encourage those with destructive intentions to leave the area. reallocation of funds (previously used for SPD) towards, "General community development" (parks, etc. [170] On June 24, CNN quoted the "de facto CHOP leader," hip-hop artist Raz Simone, as saying "a lot of people are going to leave—a lot of people already left" the zone. [122], Protesters accepted the open carry of firearms as a provision of safety. [111], Also on June 24, Mayor Durkan proposed a hiring freeze on the police force and a $20 million cut to the SPD budget, a reduction of roughly 5% for the remainder of 2020 as part of an effort to compensate for a revenue shortfall and unforeseen expenses due to the coronavirus epidemic. [38] CHOP continued to shrink in size following shootings in or near the zone on June 20, 21, and 23[39][40] when some occupiers left. "[28] In an article from June 16, Vox stated that CHAZ had evolved into "a center of peaceful protest, free political speech, co-ops, and community gardens" after protesters recovered from their initial confusion over the police decision to leave the precinct. [206][208][209] The actions on July 25 resulted in the arrest of 47 people, with 21 police officers injured. The catalyst for these demonstrations was the moment Minneapolis police officers murdered George Floyd in broad daylight while an onlooker was filming them. Myself, along with this team of Evangelists are flying out today from Orlando, FL all the way to Seattle as the Lord has led us to go to the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone. Page TransparencySee More. [206][207] A July 25 march by the Youth Liberation Front gathered peacefully for several hours in the early afternoon, but it was designated a riot by the SPD after the protests devolved into property destruction towards several businesses, fires were started in five construction trailers near a future juvenile detention center, and several employees of the youth jail had their vehicles severely vandalized. After Mayor Jenny Durkan issued an executive order, Seattle police swept in wearing riot gear early Wednesday morning to retake the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, a … Becca Savransky, SeattlePI Show More … "These residents have become victims of an occupation better characterized today by its violence, chaos and killings than anything else," the organization wrote. A man who wished to remain anonymous is seen in the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) (later named the Capital Hill organized Protest, CHOP) in Seattle, Wash., on June 12, 2020. CHAZ/CHOP is a police-free occupancy protest established in the wake of the global Black Lives Matters protests following the murder of George Floyd by police in May 2020. [27] Individual letters in the mural were uniquely painted by local artists of color, with supplies purchased through donations from demonstrators and passersby. In addition to two homicides and two non-fatal shootings, the increase included narcotics use, violent crimes such as rape, robbery, and assault, and elevated gang activity. Some Fear a Police Crackdown Is Imminent", "Trump threatens to retake Seattle from 'domestic terrorists' as police hand district to protesters", "Detectives Need Help Identifying East Precinct Arson Suspect", "Live Updates on George Floyd Protests: Judge Is Assigned to Officers' Murder Trial", "Frustrated residents near Seattle's 'CHOP' zone want their neighborhood back", "Seattle will phase down CHOP at night, police will return to East Precinct, Durkan says", "Durkan proposes 5% budget cut to Seattle police; some protesters, councilmembers say it's not enough", "Businesses sue Seattle over 'occupied' protest zone", "Capitol Hill residents and businesses sue city of Seattle for failing to disband CHOP", "Owners say police presence following CHOP sweep is hurting business", "Radical Left Governor @JayInslee and the Mayor of Seattle are being taunted and played at a level that our great Country has never seen before. Protesters establish the "Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone" after days of protests against police brutality. This is not a game. The image of the gunman is from a Getty Images photo that was taken on June 10 at what is known as the “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” protest area. "[61], On June 16, a deal was struck between CHOP representatives and the city to "rezone" the occupied area to allow better street access for businesses and local services. [22] On June 7, the SPD reported that the crowd was throwing rocks, bottles, fireworks, and shining green lasers into officers eyes. [162], Mayor Jenny Durkan called the creation of the zone an attempt to "de-escalate interactions between protesters and law enforcement",[163] while Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best said that her officers would look at different approaches to "reduce [their] footprint" in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. [57] The night of July 19, according to SPD statements, saw vandalism in the Capitol Hill area and a firework thrown into the East Precinct, starting a small fire that was rapidly extinguished. [75] It became known that the shooter's brother worked at the East Precinct. "[15] The signage on the police station was modified, as protesters rebranded it the "Seattle People's Department"[81] amid graffiti with anarchist symbols (according to one report). Lee says Nashville autonomous zone won't 'be tolerated, "Officials Fear Growing Center City Encampment To Protest Homelessness Poses Health, Safety Threat", "Philadelphians experiencing homelessness build protest encampment on Ben Franklin Parkway: 'We all matter, "Philly officials address encampment protest on Benjamin Franklin Parkway", "Police remove protesters' tents near White House", "Twitter restricts Trump threat of 'serious force' against protesters", "Antifa, Big Tech, and abortion: Republicans bring culture war to police brutality debate", "Statement by Attorney General William P. Barr on the Restoration of Law and Order in Seattle", "Remarks by President Trump at Spirit of America Showcase", "Police say officers injured, buildings vandalized during downtown Seattle protest", "Mother of CHOP shooting victim files wrongful death claim against Seattle", "Mother of 19-year-old fatally shot in CHOP zone files wrongful-death claim against city", "Businesses looted, pair of fires started on Capitol Hill, Seattle police say", "Police and protesters clash at Seattle march", "Youth Liberation Front protest in Seattle recalls familiar police standoffs as federal agents stay out of view", "Durkan pleads for calm as federal agents poised near Seattle", "Seattle rioters leave a trail of destruction after looting businesses, setting 'explosive' fires", "47 arrested, 21 officers injured in Seattle protests that turned violent", "Seattle protests intensify, even though federal agents are absent | Crosscut", "Seattle's first Black police chief quits, saying she's unwilling to sacrifice diversity", "What Will Happen to CHOP's Art and Garden?