The Capitol Hill Occupied Protest or the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP), originally Free Capitol Hill and later the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ), was an occupation protest and self-declared

autonomous zone ''T.A.Z.: The Temporary Autonomous Zone'' is a book by the anarchist writer and poet Hakim Bey (Peter Lamborn Wilson) published in 1991 by Autonomedia and in 2011 by Pacific Publishing Studio (). It is composed of three sections, "Chaos: The Br ...

in the

Capitol Hill Capitol Hill, in addition to being a metonym for the United States Congress, is the largest historic residential neighborhood in Washington, D.C., stretching easterly in front of the United States Capitol along wide avenues. It is one of the ...

neighborhood of

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

. The zone, originally covering two intersections at the corners of

Cal Anderson Park Cal Anderson Park is a public park on Seattle, Washington (state), Washington's Capitol Hill, Seattle, Capitol Hill that includes Lincoln Reservoir and Bobby Morris Playfield. Features The north end of the open park features ''Waterworks (Hollis ...

and the roads leading up to them, was established on June 8, 2020, by George Floyd protesters after the

Seattle Police Department The Seattle Police Department (SPD) is the principal law enforcement agency of the city of Seattle, Washington, United States, except for the campus of the University of Washington, which is under the responsibility of its own police department ...

(SPD) left its East Precinct building. The zone was cleared of occupants by police on July 1. Its formation was preceded by a week of tense interactions between protesters and police in

riot gear Riot control measures are used by law enforcement, military, paramilitary or security forces to control, disperse, and arrest people who are involved in a riot, unlawful demonstration or unlawful protest. If a riot is spontaneous and irration ...

which began on June 1 and escalated on June 7 after a man drove his vehicle toward a crowd near 11th Avenue and

Pine Street Pine Street is a major east–west street in Seattle, Washington, United States. It travels parallel to Pike Street between Downtown Seattle and the retail core to Capitol Hill, the Central District, and Madrona. Street description Pine S ...

and shot a protester who tried to stop him.

Tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ad ...

, flashbangs and

pepper spray Pepper spray, oleoresin capsicum spray, OC spray, capsaicin spray, or capsicum spray is a lachrymatory agent (a compound that irritates the eyes to cause a burning sensation, pain, and temporary blindness) used in policing, riot control, cr ...

were used by police in the densely populated residential neighborhood. On June 7, the SPD reported that the crowd was throwing rocks, bottles, and fireworks, and were shining green lasers into officers' eyes. The next day, SPD boarded up its building and moved out of the East Precinct in an effort to de-escalate the situation. The zone was a self-organized space, without official leadership. Protesters asserted three main demands: # Cut Seattle's $409-million police budget by 50%. # Shift funding to community programs and services in historically black communities. # Ensure that protesters would not be charged with crimes. Participants created a block-long "Black Lives Matter" mural, provided free film screenings in the street, and performed live music. A "No Cop Co-op" was formed, with food, hand sanitizer and other supplies. Areas were set up for free speech and to facilitate discourse, and a community vegetable garden was constructed. The CHOP became a focus of national attention when

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

tweeted his disapproval on June 10 and 11, calling the occupants "ugly

Anarchists Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not necessari ...

" and demanding that

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Jay Inslee Jay Robert Inslee (; born February 9, 1951) is an American politician, lawyer, and economist who has served as the 23rd governor of Washington since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a member of the U.S. House of Representat ...

and

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Jenny Durkan Jenny Anne Durkan (born May 19, 1958) is an American attorney, former federal prosecutor, and politician who served as the 56th mayor of Seattle, Washington. She is the daughter of Martin Durkan. Durkan is a member of the Democratic Party. Afte ...

"take back" the zone. Durkan described the area on June 11 as four blocks with a "

block party A block party or street party is a party in which many members of a single community congregate, either to observe an event of some importance or simply for mutual solidarity and enjoyment. The name comes from the form of the party, which ofte ...

" atmosphere; on June 14, ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

'' reported a festive environment and compared the protest to a miniature version of

Burning Man Burning Man is an event focused on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance held annually in the western United States. The name of the event comes from its culminating ceremony: the symbolic burning of a large wooden effigy, referred ...

. ''The New York Times'' later contrasted Durkan's words with descriptions provided by local businesspeople, reporting "encampments overtaking the sidewalks ... roving bands of masked protesters smashing windows and looting nd ung white men wielding guns ... harangu ngcustomers." The ''

Star Tribune The ''Star Tribune'' is the largest newspaper in Minnesota. It originated as the ''Minneapolis Tribune'' in 1867 and the competing ''Minneapolis Daily Star'' in 1920. During the 1930s and 1940s, Minneapolis's competing newspapers were consolida ...

'' reported on June 22 that at night, the atmosphere became charged as demonstrators marched and armed volunteer guards kept watch. SPD Chief

Carmen Best Carmen Best (born c. 1965) is an American law enforcement officer who served as the chief of police of the Seattle Police Department from 2018 to 2020. She was the first black woman to lead Seattle's police force. She was chief of police during th ...

said that the department wanted to reduce its

footprint Footprints are the impressions or images left behind by a person walking or running. Hoofprints and pawprints are those left by animals with hooves or paws rather than feet, while "shoeprints" is the specific term for prints made by shoes. They ...

, later clarifying that officials intended to return officers to the precinct to respond quickly to calls. On June 13,

Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...

protesters negotiated with local officials about leaving the zone. The CHOP's size decreased four days later (when roadblocks were moved), and it continued to shrink after shootings in or near the zone on June 20, 21, and 23. Durkan responded that the SPD would return peacefully in the near future. On June 28, she met with protesters and informed them that the city planned to remove most barricades and limit the activist area to the East Precinct building and the street in front of it. That day, CHOP organizers expressed their intention to refocus on the area near the police station and away from the sprawling encampment at Cal Anderson Park after it became a political liability and they struggled to maintain security. In the early morning of June 29, a fourth shooting left a 16-year-old boy dead and a 14-year-old boy in critical condition with gunshot wounds. Calling the situation "dangerous and unacceptable", Best told reporters: "Enough is enough. We need to be able to get back into the area." On July 1, after Durkan issued an executive order, Seattle police cleared the area of protesters and reclaimed its East Precinct station. Protests continued in Seattle and at the CHOP site over the following days and months. Several business owners sued the city in 2020 for damages relating to government conduct during the protests. A federal judge found that the mayor, police chief, and other government officials then illegally deleted tens of thousands of text messages relating to government handling of CHOP. In 2022 the city settled a lawsuit with the

Seattle Times ''The Seattle Times'' is a daily newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1891 and has been owned by the Blethen family since 1896. ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in Washington st ...

for $200,000 over its handling of deleted texts and agreed to improve its record-keeping practices.

Background

Capitol Hill is a densely populated residential district on a steep hill just east of Seattle's

downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...

business district, known for its prominent

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

and

counterculture A counterculture is a culture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, sometimes diametrically opposed to mainstream cultural mores.Eric Donald Hirsch. ''The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy''. Hou ...

communities and its vibrant nightlife. The Seattle Police Department had been protested against in the past. In 1965, during the

civil rights movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

after an unarmed black man was shot by an SPD officer, community leaders followed police in "freedom patrols" to observe (and record) their interactions with the Black community. Since 2012, the SPD had been under federal oversight after it had been found to use

excessive force Excessive Force is a musical side project started in 1991 by Sascha Konietzko of KMFDM and Buzz McCoy of My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult. History In 1991, Excessive Force released the single "Conquer Your House", followed by the album ''Conque ...

and biased policing. Seattle had been the location of other mass protests, such as the

1999 WTO protests The 1999 Seattle WTO protests, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Seattle, were a series of protests surrounding the WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999, when members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) convened at the Washington State Con ...

and

Occupy Seattle Occupy Seattle was a series of demonstrations in Seattle, Washington, United States in 2011 and 2012, that formed part of the wider Occupy movement taking place in numerous U.S. and world cities at that time. The demonstrations were particular ...

. The city is home to several cultural institutions created by occupation protests, including the

Northwest African American Museum The Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) serves to present and preserve the connections between the Pacific Northwest and people of African descent and investigate and celebrate Black experiences in America through exhibitions, programs and ev ...

, the

Daybreak Star Cultural Center The Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center is a Native American cultural center in Seattle, Washington, described by its parent organization United Indians of All Tribes as "an urban base for Native Americans in the Seattle area." Located on 2 ...

and

El Centro de la Raza El Centro de la Raza in Seattle, Washington, United States, is an educational, cultural, and social service agency, centered in the Latino/Chicano community and headquartered in the former Beacon Hill Elementary School on Seattle's Beacon Hill. It ...

Protests A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one. Protests can be thought of as acts of coopera ...

over the

murder of George Floyd On , George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was murdered in the U.S. city of Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white police officer. Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill. Chauvin knelt on Floyd's n ...

and

police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, but is not limited to, ...

began in Seattle on May 29, 2020. Street clashes occurred in greater Seattle for nine days involving protesters, the Seattle Police Department, the

Washington State Patrol The Washington State Patrol (WSP) is the state patrol agency for the U.S. state of Washington. Organized as the Washington State Highway Patrol in 1921, it was renamed and reconstituted in 1933. The agency is charged with the protection of the Gov ...

and the

Washington National Guard The Washington National Guard is one of the four elements of the State of Washington's Washington Military Department and a component of the National Guard of the United States. It is headquartered at Camp Murray, Washington and is defined by its ...

Capitol Hill clashes (June 1–8)

The zone's formation was preceded by a week of tense interactions in the Capitol Hill neighborhood beginning on June 1, when protesters and police in riot gear began facing off at a police barricade near the SPD's East Precinct building. The SPD used aggressive dispersal tactics, including

blast ball A blast ball, also known as a tear gas ball, rubber ball grenade, or stinger grenade, is a ball-shaped, rubber coated, less-lethal grenade designed for law enforcement and riot control Riot control measures are used by law enforcement, milita ...

s, flashbangs and

. On June 5, Mayor

and SPD Chief

announced a 30-day ban on the use of

tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ad ...

. A group of public representatives (including four

City Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...

-members, a

King County Council The Metropolitan King County Council, the legislative body of King County, Washington, consists of nine members elected by district. The Council adopts laws, sets policy, and holds final approval over the budget. Its current name and structure i ...

-member, state Senator

Joe Nguyen Joseph-Thanh Nguyen (born September 27, 1983) is an American politician who is a member of the Washington State Senate from the 34th district. Nguyen, a second-generation Vietnamese American, was raised with his three siblings in White Center, W ...

and state Representative

Nicole Macri Nicole Macri (born 1973) is an American politician, who was elected to the Washington House of Representatives in the 2016 elections. BLM Seattle on June 7, 2020 - 10

On June 7, police installed sturdier barricades around the East Precinct and boarded up its windows. The situation intensified after 8 pm, when a demonstrator was shot while trying to slow down a vehicle speeding toward a crowd of 1,000 protesters on 11th Avenue and East Pine Street; the driver left the vehicle with a gun and walked towards the police line, where he was taken into custody without incident. It later became known that the shooter's brother worked at the East Precinct. After midnight on June 8, police reported that protesters were throwing bottles, rocks and fireworks. The SPD resumed the use of tear gas (despite the mayor's ban), and used pepper spray and flashbangs against protesters at 11th and Pine. Over 12,000 complaints were filed about police response to the demonstrations, and members of the Seattle City Council questioned how many weapons had been thrown at police. Police boarded up and vacated the East Precinct during the afternoon of June 8, which Best described as an effort to "de-escalate the situation and rebuild trust". Protesters (initially suspicious of the SPD's motives) moved into the area, repositioned street barricades in a one-block radius around the station, and declared the area "Free Capitol Hill". It remained unclear days later who had decided to retreat from the East Precinct, since Chief Best did not admit responsibility. Durkan later attributed the decision to withdraw to an unnamed SPD on-scene commander. Over a year later, a ''KUOW'' report identified Assistant Chief Tom Mahaffey as the one who made the decision, revealing that he had done so without the knowledge of Best or Durkan.

Territory

The zone was initially centered around the East Precinct building, and barriers were set up on Pine Street for several blocks to stop incoming vehicles. The early territory reportedly encompassed five-and-a-half city blocks, including

(already active with demonstrators). It stretched north to East Denny Way, east to 12th Avenue (and part of 13th Avenue), south to East Pike, and west to

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

. Protesters used blockades and fences to construct barricades at intersections. On June 9, one entrance to the zone was marked by a barrier reading "You Are Entering Free Capitol Hill". Other signs read, "You are now leaving the USA" and "Welcome to the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone". Signage on the police station was modified as protesters

rebranded Rebranding is a marketing strategy in which a new name, term, symbol, design, concept or combination thereof is created for an established brand with the intention of developing a new, differentiated identity in the minds of consumers, investors ...

it the "Seattle People's Department". On June 16, after city officials agreed with protest organizers about a new footprint, the

Seattle Department of Transportation The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is a municipal government agency in Seattle, Washington that is responsible for the maintenance of the city's transportation systems, including roads, bridges, and public transportation. The agency ...

(SDOT) installed concrete barriers wrapped in plywood in several areas along Pine Street and 10th and 12th Avenues (shrinking the area). The revised barrier spacing provided improved access for business deliveries, and the design offered space for decoration by artists affiliated with the protests. The new layout was posted on Durkan's blog: "The City is committed to maintaining space for community to come to together, protest and exercise their first amendment rights. Minor changes to the protest zone will implement safer and sturdier barriers to protect individuals in this area." Welcome to CHAZ (50004505632)

KIRO-FM KIRO-FM (97.3 MHz) is a commercial radio station licensed to Tacoma, Washington, and serving the Seattle-Tacoma radio market. It airs a news/talk radio format and is owned by Salt Lake City–based Bonneville International, a broadcasting compa ...

reported that on June 17, a large tent encampment was set up on 11th Avenue between Pike and Pine Streets and half of Cal Anderson Park "turned into a huge tent encampment with a massive community garden." The zone's borders were not clearly defined, and shifted daily. Its size was reduced over time, with ''

The Seattle Times ''The Seattle Times'' is a daily newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1891 and has been owned by the Blethen family since 1896. ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in Washington (s ...

'' reporting that the area had "shrunk considerably" by June 24. Demonstrators redirected their focus to the East Precinct on June 23, when "the Capitol Hill protest zone camp cleared parts of its Cal Anderson Park core." On June 30, police and other city employees removed a number of concrete barricades and concentrated others closer to the East Precinct. That day, notices were posted announcing a noon closure of Cal Anderson Park for cleaning and repairs; the garden and art created by protesters would be undisturbed. The remaining territory was cleared by Seattle police on July 1, and Cal Anderson Park was reportedly closed for repairs.

Culture and amenities

Services

Protesters established the No Cop Co-op on June 9, offering free water, hand sanitizer,

kebab Kebab (, ; ar, كباب, link=no, Latn, ar, kabāb, ; tr, kebap, link=no, ) or kabob (North American) is a type of cooked meat dish that originates from cuisines of the Middle East. Many variants of the category are popular around the wor ...

s and snacks donated by the community. Stalls offered

vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. Di ...

curry, and others collected donations for the

homeless Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

. Organizers pitched tents next to the former precinct to hold the space. Two medical stations were established in the zone to provide basic health care, and the Seattle Department of Transportation provided portable toilets. The city provided waste removal, additional portable toilets and fire and rescue services, and the SPD said that it responded to 911 calls in the zone. The King County public health department provided

COVID-19 testing COVID-19 testing involves analyzing samples to assess the current or past presence of SARS-CoV-2. The two main types of tests detect either the presence of the virus or antibodies produced in response to infection. Molecular tests for viral ...

in Cal Anderson Park for a period of time during the protests. Black & Indigenous Peoples Garden (50037614568)

On June 11, ''The Seattle Times'' reported that restaurant owners in the area had an uptick in walk-up business and a corresponding reduction in delivery costs. ''USA Today'' reported three days later that most businesses in the zone had closed, "although a liquor store, ramen restaurant and taco joint are still doing brisk business." According to ''The New York Times'', "business crashed". Some activists lived in tents inside the zone. Outside the zone, urban camping is illegal in Seattle but the law was seldom enforced.

Community gardens

Vegetable gardens had materialized by June 11 in Cal Anderson Park, where activists began to grow a variety of foods from seedlings. The gardens were inaugurated with a basil plant introduced by Marcus Henderson, a resident of Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood. Activists expanded the gardens, which were "cultivated by and for

BIPOC The term "person of color" ( : people of color or persons of color; abbreviated POC) is primarily used to describe any person who is not considered "white". In its current meaning, the term originated in, and is primarily associated with, the U ...

" and included signs heralding black agriculturalists and commemorating victims of police violence. Henderson established his gardening movement as Black Star Farmers, and after the dissipation of the CHOP launched a

GoFundMe GoFundMe is an American for-profit crowdfunding platform that allows people to raise money for events ranging from life events such as celebrations and graduations to challenging circumstances like accidents and illnesses. From 2010 to the b ...

to continue the work. After the park was cleared on July 1, he called supporters of the garden to help him advocate to the city that they allow it to remain as the Black Lives Memorial Garden. The effort succeeded as perhaps the least controversial proposition for how to make use of the public space in Cal Anderson Park after the CHOP's closure. The gardens are still in their original location as of September 2022.

Discourse

Arts and culture

The intersection of 12th and Pine was converted into a square for

teach-in A teach-in is similar to a general educational forum on any complicated issue, usually an issue involving current political affairs. The main difference between a teach-in and a seminar is the refusal to limit the discussion to a specific time fr ...

s (where a microphone was used for organizing) and to encourage those with destructive intentions to leave the area. An area at 11th and Pine was set aside as the "Decolonization Conversation Café", a discussion area with daily topics. An outdoor cinema with a sound system and projector was set up on June 9 and screened films, including '' 13th'' (a 2016 documentary by

Ava DuVernay Ava Marie DuVernay (; born August 24, 1972) is an American filmmaker, television producer and former film publicist. She is a recipient of a Primetime Emmy Award, a NAACP Image Award, a BAFTA Film Award and a BAFTA TV Award, as well as a nominee ...

about racism and mass incarceration) and '' Paris Is Burning'', a 1990 documentary by

Jennie Livingston Jennie may refer to: * Jennie (singer), South Korean singer of girl group Blackpink * Jennie, a female given name, variant spelling of Jenny * ''Jennie'' (musical), 1963 Broadway production * ''Jennie'' (novel), 1994 science fiction thriller by ...

. The Marshall Law Band (a Seattle-based hip-hop fusion group) began performing for protesters during the week of June 1 - June 8 when protesters were confronting police at what was known as "the Western barricade" due to it being one block West of the entrance to the East Precinct. During this week, they played several hour sets with a sign of the protest demands near the stage every single night. The stage was close enough to the barricade that at times when relations between the protesters and cops got violent the band found themselves in the line of fire. They kept performing, even when there was tear gas in the air and rubber bullets being fired. The band continued playing regularly once the CHOP was established. In November 2020, Marshall Law Band released an album called ''12th & Pine'' about their experience as the "House band of the CHOP". A block-long

street

mural A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...

, on East Pine Street between 10th and 11th Avenues, was painted on June 10 and 11. Individual letters of the mural were painted by local artists of color, and supplies were purchased with donations from demonstrators and passersby.

Shrines

Visitors lit candles and left flowers at three shrines with photographs and notes expressing sentiments related to

George Floyd George Perry Floyd Jr. (October 14, 1973 – May 25, 2020) was an African-American man who was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest made after a store clerk suspected Floyd may have used a counterfeit twe ...

and other victims of police brutality. Persons for whom shrines, murals, and/or vigils were created: On June 19, events ranging from a "grief ritual" to a dance party were held to observe

Juneteenth Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining "June" and "nineteenth", it is celebrated on the anniversary of General Order No. 3, i ...

Internal governance

Occupants of the zone favored

consensus decision-making Consensus decision-making or consensus process (often abbreviated to ''consensus'') are group decision-making processes in which participants develop and decide on proposals with the aim, or requirement, of acceptance by all. The focus on es ...

in the form of

general assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...

, with daily meetings and discussion groups an alternative to designated leaders. According to ''

City Journal ''City Journal'' is a public policy magazine and website, published by the conservative Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, that covers a range of topics on urban affairs, such as policing, education, housing, and other issues. The magazine ...

'' on June 10, former mayoral candidate

Nikkita Oliver Nikkita R. Oliver is an American lawyer, non-profit administrator, educator, poet, and politician. They were a candidate for Mayor of Seattle in the 2017 mayoral election, but finished third in the primary with 17% of the vote. Oliver was defeat ...

had a major role in the zone. Observers described early zone activity on June 11 as a hybrid of other movements, with an atmosphere which was "part protest, part

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

"; a cross between "a

sit-in A sit-in or sit-down is a form of direct action that involves one or more people occupying an area for a protest, often to promote political, social, or economic change. The protestors gather conspicuously in a space or building, refusing to mo ...

, a protest and summer festival"; or a blend of "

Occupy Wall Street Occupy Wall Street (OWS) was a protest Social movement, movement against economic inequality and the Campaign finance, influence of money in politics that began in Zuccotti Park, located in New York City's Financial District, Manhattan, Wall S ...

and a college cooperative dorm." According to a June 16 '' Vox'' article, CHOP 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. Protesters held frequent

town hall meeting Town hall meetings, also referred to as town halls or town hall forums, are a way for local and national politicians to meet with their constituents either to hear from them on topics of interest or to discuss specific upcoming legislation or ...

s to decide strategy and make plans. Seattle officials said that they saw no evidence of antifa groups organizing in the zone, but some small-business owners blamed antifa for violence and intimidating their patrons. SPD Chief Carmen Best said on June 15, "There is no cop-free zone in the city of Seattle", indicating that officers would go into the zone if there were threats to public safety. "I think that the picture has been painted in many areas that shows the city is under siege," she added. "That is not the case." On August 7, ''The New York Times'' described the zone as

police abolition The police abolition movement is a political movement, mostly active in the United States, that advocates replacing policing with other systems of public safety. Police abolitionists believe that policing, as a system, is inherently flawed and ...

in practice, reporting that police generally did not respond to calls in the zone. Misinformation about its governance circulated. Conservative social-media personality

Andy Ngo Andy Cuong Ngo ( ; born ) is an American conservative journalist, author, and right-wing social media influencer known for covering and video-recording demonstrators. He is the editor-at-large of '' The Post Millennial'', a Canadian conserva ...

shared a video on June 15 of Seattle-based hip hop artist

Raz Simone Solomon Samuel Simone (born January 15, 1990), known by his stage name Raz Simone (), is an African-American recording artist, songwriter, and political activist and organizer from Seattle, Seattle, Washington. A Hip hop music, hip hop artist who ...

handing a rifle from the trunk of his car to another protester on June 8 (the day the zone was established) after "rumors developed ithin the Zonethat members of the right-wing group

Proud Boys The Proud Boys is an American far-right, neo-fascist, and exclusively male organization that promotes and engages in political violence in the United States.Far-right: * * Fascist: * * * * * Men only: * * * Political violence: * * * It has ...

were going to move into the protest area to set fires and stir chaos."

CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...

later called Simone the zone's "''de facto'' leader", which he denied. Unbeknownst to the public at the time, Raz was in contact with Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins during his time in CHOP. Simone left the area around July 15.

Names for the area

The protest area had several names; the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) was most common at the outset, along with "Free Capitol Hill". By its second week, the area was more often referred to as the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP). On June 13, a group of several dozen protest leaders agreed to change the name from CHAZ to CHOP. The name change was the result of a consensus to de-emphasize occupation and improve accuracy. According to ''

TechCrunch TechCrunch is an American online newspaper focusing on high tech and startup companies. It was founded in June 2005 by Archimedes Ventures, led by partners Michael Arrington and Keith Teare. In 2010, AOL acquired the company for approximately ...

'', participants decided to change the name to "the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest—then, noting the fact that Seattle itself is an 'occupation' of native land, change the O to Organized." During the second week of formation, a number of media outlets reported on the name change including ''

'' on June 14; ''King5'', '' KUOW'', ''The Stranger'', and the

Seattle Post-Intelligencer The ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' (popularly known as the ''Seattle P-I'', the ''Post-Intelligencer'', or simply the ''P-I'') is an online newspaper and former print newspaper based in Seattle, Washington, United States. The newspaper was foun ...

on June 15; ''Vox'' on June 16; and ''Crosscut'' on June 17. A memorial to black lives in CHAZ

Demands

The number of demands was debated; some believed that the protests were the beginning of a larger revolution, and others said that police brutality should remain the immediate focus. The protesters settled on three main demands: # Reducing city-police funding by 50% # Redistribute funds to community efforts, such as restorative justice and health care # Ensure that protesters would not be criminally liable Other demands by the collective included: * Reallocation of SPD funds to

community health Community health refers to simple health services that are delivered by laymen outside hospitals and clinics. Community health is also the subset of public health that is taught to and practiced by clinicians. Community health volunteers and communi ...

: *# Socialized health and medicine *# Free

public housing Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the details, terminology, def ...

Public education State schools (in England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand) or public schools (Scottish English and North American English) are generally primary or secondary schools that educate all students without charge. They are funded in whole or in pa ...

Naturalization Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. It may be done automatically by a statute, i.e., without any effort on the part of the in ...

services for undocumented immigrants; "no person is illegal" *# General community development (parks, etc.) * The release of prisoners serving time for

marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...

-related offenses or resisting arrest, and the

expungement In the common law legal system, an expungement proceeding is a type of lawsuit in which a first time offender of a prior criminal conviction seeks that the records of that earlier process be sealed or destroyed, making the records nonexistent o ...

of their records * Mandatory retrials for people of color imprisoned for violent crimes * Educational reform, increasing the focus on

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

and Native American history *

Rent control Rent regulation is a system of laws, administered by a court or a public authority, which aims to ensure the affordability of housing and tenancies on the rental market for dwellings. Generally, a system of rent regulation involves: *Price cont ...

to reverse

gentrification Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more Wealth, affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and urban planning, planning. Gentrification ...

* Free college One early list (released June 9 in a ''Medium'' post attributed to "The Collective Black Voices at Free Capitol Hill") outlined 30 demands, beginning with the abolition of the Seattle Police Department, the armed forces, and

prisons A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correcti ...

. The collective made other demands: On June 10, about 1,000 protesters marched into

Seattle City Hall Seattle City Hall (also known as the Seattle Municipal Building) is the home of the offices of the mayor and city council of Seattle, Washington, located between 4th Avenue and 5th Avenue in the downtown area of the city. Most city departments h ...

demanding Durkan's resignation.

Declaration of independence

CHAZ's declaration of independence was ultimately unsuccessful.

Security

Protesters accepted open carry of firearms as a provision of safety. Members of the self-described anti-fascist,

anti-racist Anti-racism encompasses a range of ideas and political actions which are meant to counter racial prejudice, systemic racism, and the oppression of specific racial groups. Anti-racism is usually structured around conscious efforts and deliberate ...

and pro-worker Puget Sound John Brown Gun Club (PSJBGC) were reported on June 9 as carrying rifles in the zone in response to rumors of an attack by the right-wing

. Although the zone was in the restricted area subject to Durkan's May 30 emergency order prohibiting the use of weapons (including guns), her ban did not mandate enforcement. ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' reported on June 12 that PSJBGC was on site with no visible weapons, and ''USA Today'' reported that day that "no one appeared armed with a gun". Reporters from a Tacoma-based

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

affiliate were chased out of the zone by occupants on June 9. Area businesses hired private protection services, including Iconic Global, Homeland Patrol Division and Fortress Security, during the occupation. The services deployed men and women (some in uniform and others in plainclothes, armed with

AR-15 style rifle An AR-15-style rifle is any lightweight semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design. The original ArmaLite AR-15 is a scaled-down derivative of Eugene Stoner's ArmaLite AR-10 design. The then Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation d ...

s and

) to patrol the zone on foot and in SUVs. Volunteers in the area formed an informal group to provide security, emphasizing de-escalation and preventing vandalism. On June 15, KIRO-TV reported a break-in and fire at an auto shop near the zone to which the SPD did not respond; police chief Carmen Best later said that officers observed the building from a distance and saw no sign of a disturbance. On June 16, Seattle's

KIRO-TV KIRO-TV (channel 7) is a television station in Seattle, Washington, United States, affiliated with CBS and Telemundo. Owned by Cox Media Group, the station maintains studios on Third Avenue in the Belltown section of Downtown Seattle, and its ...

quoted an eight-year tenant of an apartment near the East Precinct: "We are just sitting ducks all day. Now every criminal in the city knows they can come into this area and they can do anything they want as long as it isn't life-threatening, and the police won't come in to do anything about it." Frustrated by blocked streets, criminal behavior and lawlessness, some residents moved out and others installed security cameras. A man who said he "100 percent" supported the protest told

KOMO-TV KOMO-TV (channel 4) is a television station in Seattle, Seattle, Washington, United States, affiliated with American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside Bellevue, Washington, Bellevue-licensed Univision a ...

, "I don't even feel safe anymore." On June 18, a volunteer medic intervened during a sexual assault in a tent in the occupied park area; the alleged perpetrator was arrested.

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

reported that day, "Nobody inside the protest zone thinks a police return would end peacefully. Small teams of armed

anti-fascists Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...

are also present, self-proclaimed community defense forces who say they're ready to fight if needed but that de-escalation is preferred." The SPD police blotter page listed FBI-reported law-enforcement incidents in the area: 37 incidents in 2019, and 65 incidents through June 30, 2020. Crime in the area from June 2 to June 30 rose 525 percent over the same period in 2019. In addition to two homicides and two non-fatal shootings, the increase included narcotics use, violent crimes (such as rape, robbery, and assault) and increased gang activity.

Outside threats from the Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer

CHAZ-CHOP street art, George Floyd mural

Since the protest began, protesters were reportedly aware of the threat posed by the far-right groups

Patriot Prayer Patriot Prayer is a far-right group founded by Joey Gibson in 2016 and based in Vancouver, Washington, a suburban city in the Portland metropolitan area. Since 2016, the group has organized several dozen pro-gun, pro-Trump rallies held in liber ...

(active in the Pacific Northwest) and the

, a national

neo-fascist Neo-fascism is a post-World War II far-right ideology that includes significant elements of fascism. Neo-fascism usually includes ultranationalism, racial supremacy, populism, authoritarianism, nativism, xenophobia, and anti-immigration sent ...

hate group. On June 15, armed members of the Proud Boys appeared in the zone at a Capitol Hill rally. The group intended to confront what it called protesters' "authoritarian behavior", and video of the clashes went viral. Proud Boys affiliate and brawler Tusitala "Tiny" Toese was filmed in the zone punching a man and breaking his cellphone on June 15. Toese has been known in the Pacific Northwest for fighting as a leader of Patriot Prayer and, after early 2019, as a

chauvinist Chauvinism is the unreasonable belief in the superiority or dominance of one's own group or people, who are seen as strong and virtuous, while others are considered weak, unworthy, or inferior. It can be described as a form of extreme patriotis ...

member of the Proud Boys. He has been called "the right-wing protester most frequently arrested in Portland." A Washington State resident, Toese is the subject of several reports by Portland's ''Willamette Week''. He had not been prosecuted for violent offenses (despite his confession and witness confirmations), leading to accusations that law enforcement enables his behavior. Toese was later arrested for violating probation, due to video evidence of assault in the CHOP.

Shootings

Before the zone

On June 7, the day before the zone's founding, a man drove towards a crowd of protesters. He was intercepted by a protester, who reached into his car and tried to stop him before the driver shot him. The driver then stopped and immediately surrendered to the police. The victim, wounded in his upper right arm, was expected to fully recover within a year. The driver claimed self-defense and was charged with first-degree assault. Prosecutors said that the driver had provoked the incident.

During the zone

June 20

During the early morning of June 20, two people were shot in separate incidents at the edge of the protest zone. It was unclear if the shootings were connected to the protests. According to Carmen Best, police officers had wanted to reach the scene quicker but were prevented by protesters; however, an analysis by KUOW based on 911 transcripts, video recordings, and eyewitness testimony suggested that miscommunication between the SPD and the Seattle Fire Department slowed the emergency response. Emergency dispatchers received the first reports of gunshots at 10th Avenue and East Pine Street at 2:19 a.m. A 19-year-old black man, Horace Lorenzo Anderson Jr., was transported to

Harborview Medical Center Harborview Medical Center is a public hospital located in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. It is managed by UW Medicine. Overview Harborview Medical Center is the designated Disaster Control Hospital for Seattl ...

by volunteer medics. With multiple gunshot wounds, he was pronounced dead at 2:53 a.m. A local

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

known as "Lil Mob", Anderson had graduated from high school the previous day. Anderson was publicly mourned by his teachers and mother in the days following his death. On July 20, Donnitta Sinclair Martin, Anderson Jr.’s mother, filed a

wrongful death claim Wrongful death claim is a claim against a person who can be held liable for a death. The claim is brought in a civil action, usually by close relatives, as enumerated by statute. In wrongful death cases, survivors are compensated for the harm, l ...

against the City of Seattle. The second victim, 33-year-old, DeJuan Young, was found by a former nurse who determined with the help of a volunteer medic that he had two gunshot wounds. Young reported that he tried to leave after hearing the first shooting and was surrounded by a group of men, called a racist epithet, and shot at 11th and Pike. Transported to Harborview by 3:06 a.m., he was in critical condition the following day. KIRO-TV reported that Young was shot by different people one block from the site of Anderson's shooting. Young said "I was shot by, I'm not sure if they're

or KKK, but the verbiage that they said was hold this 'N——' and shot me." He expressed concern that his case was not being 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, but Young was outside the zone when he was shot. "I was in Seattle streets," he said. "So what's the excuse now?" Armed police eventually entered the zone in riot gear but were informed by protesters that "the victim left the premises".

member Lisa Herbold, chair of the public-safety committee, said that the suggestion that the crowd interfered with access to victims "defies belief". Although the SPD reviewed public-source and body-camera video, no suspects were arrested and a motive had not been determined. CHOP representatives alleged that the individuals involved had a history which apparently escalated because of "gang affiliations".

June 21

Another shooting occurred on June 21, the third in the zone in less than 48 hours. After being transported in a private vehicle to Harborview Medical Center, a 17-year-old male was treated for a gunshot wound to the arm and released; he declined to speak to SPD detectives. On June 22, Durkan said the violence was distracting from the message of thousands of peaceful protesters. "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." Durkan announced that officials were working with the community to end the zone. "It's time for people to go home," she said, "to restore order and eliminate the violence on Capitol Hill." At the same press conference, Best described "groups of individuals engaging in shootings, a rape, assault, burglary, arson and property destruction ... I cannot stand by, not another second, and watch another black man, or anyone really, die in our streets while people aggressively thwart the efforts of police and other first responders from rescuing them."

June 23

A fourth shooting near the zone, on June 23, left a man in his thirties with wounds which were not life-threatening. Although the SPD was reportedly investigating, the victim refused to provide information about the attack or a description of the shooter.

June 29

The fifth shooting near the zone occurred in the early morning of June 29. A 16-year-old black male, Antonio Mays Jr., was killed and a 14-year-old male was in critical condition with gunshot wounds. Mays was a resident of

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

, California and reportedly left home for Seattle a week earlier. On video, a series of 12 or 13 gunshots is heard at 2:54 a.m., just before a voice warns of "multiple vehicles", "multiple shooters" and a "stolen white Jeep" as protesters scrambled into position. After a five-minute lull, another 18 gunshots are heard as the "white Jeep" crashes into a barricade or a portable toilet. Some witnesses said they believed that shots were being fired from the vehicle, but no evidence has emerged to support this. During its investigation, the SPD discovered that the crime scene had been disturbed. Police made no arrests in any of the shootings since June 20. According to a volunteer medic who witnessed the incident, CHOP security forces shot at the SUV driven by the teenagers after it crashed into a concrete barrier.

Reaction

Local

Durkan called the zone an attempt to "de-escalate interactions between protesters and law enforcement", and Best said that her officers would look at approaches to "reduce

heir Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...

footprint" in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. City Council member

Kshama Sawant Kshama Sawant (; born October 17, 1973) is an Indian-American politician and economist who has served on the Seattle City Council since 2014. She is a member of Socialist Alternative (United States), Socialist Alternative, the first and only mem ...

spoke to occupants of Cal Anderson Park on June 8 and urged protesters to turn the precinct into a

community center Community centres, community centers, or community halls are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole co ...

for restorative justice. Assistant police chief Deanna Nollette said in a June 10 news conference, "We're trying to get a dialogue going so we can figure out a way to resolve this without unduly impacting the citizens and the businesses that are operating in that area." Nollette said that police had received reports of "armed individuals" passing barricades set up by protesters as checkpoints, "intimidat ngcommunity members", and police "heard anecdotally" of residents and businesses being asked to pay a fee to operate in the area: "This is the crime of

extortion Extortion is the practice of obtaining benefit through coercion. In most jurisdictions it is likely to constitute a criminal offence; the bulk of this article deals with such cases. Robbery is the simplest and most common form of extortion, ...

." The following day, Best said that police had not received "any formal reports" of extortion and the

Greater Seattle Business Association The Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) is an LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce based in Seattle, Washington. The majority of the organization's membership are small businesses located throughout the Puget Sound area. The association's stated ...

said that it "found no evidence of this occurring". ''The New York Times'' reported in August that during the zone's existence, some small business owners were intimidated by demonstrators with baseball bats, asked to pledge loyalty to the movement and choose between CHOP and the police, put on a list of "cop callers", harassed, or threatened with death by a mob. A group of small-business owners sued the city for abandoning them and forcing them to pay private security companies to protect them. On June 11, the SPD announced its desire to reenter the abandoned East Precinct building and said that it still operated in the zone; according to Washington governor

, the zone was "unpermitted" but "largely peaceful". The next day, 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." During the early morning of June 12, Isaiah Thomas Willoughby, 36, of Tacoma but formerly of Seattle, set a fire at the East Precinct building and walked away; community residents extinguished it before it spread beyond the building's external wall or to nearby tents. Later that day, Durkan visited the zone and told a ''New York Times'' reporter that she was unaware of any serious crime reported in the area. Most of the people interviewed by ''Vox'' had participated in the protests but did not feel safe walking in the area at night, especially in late June. One Capitol Hill resident noted a difference in perspective between outsiders and residents: "I feel a lot of the current 'it's not safe' stuff comes from either people who aren't living in the neighborhood itself or from affluent new arrivals, or from business owners." On June 16, an agreement was reached between CHOP representatives and the city to "rezone" the occupied area to allow better street access for businesses and local services. The next day,

KING-TV KING-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Seattle, Washington, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside Everett-licensed independent station KONG (channel 16). Both stations share studios at the Home Plate ...

reported that some residents were uneasy with the occupation near their homes: "What you want from a home is a stress-free environment. You want to be able to sleep well, you want to feel comfortable and we just don't feel comfortable right now." The station reported receiving anonymous emails from other residents expressing "real concerns". On June 18, black protesters reportedly expressed unease about the zone and its use of Black Lives Matter slogans. According to

, "Black activists say there must be follow-through to make sure their communities remain the priority in a majority-white protest movement whose camp has taken on the feel of a neighborhood block party that's periodically interrupted by chants of 'Black Lives Matter! CHOP artwork in Capitol Hill Seattle

On June 22, Durkan and Best said in a press conference that police would reoccupy the East Precinct "peacefully and in the near future"; no specific timeline was given. CNN quoted "''de facto'' CHOP leader" hip-hop artist Raz Simone two days later as saying that "a lot of people are going to leave; a lot of people already left" the zone. That day, Durkan proposed a police hiring freeze and a $20 million cut to the SPD budget (about a 5% reduction for the rest of 2020) to compensate for a revenue shortfall and unforeseen expenses due to the pandemic. During a public-comment period, community members said that the budget cut should be larger and SPD funds should be redirected to housing and healthcare. Twelve businesses, residents and property owners filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court against the city, which they said had deprived them of due process by permitting the zone. Saying that they did not want "to undermine CHOP participants' message or present a counter-message", the plaintiffs alleged that their legal rights were "overrun" by the city's "unprecedented decision to abandon and close off an entire city neighborhood" and isolate them from city services. They sought compensation for property damage and lost business and property rights, and restoration of full public access. Community Roots Housing, a

public development authority In the U.S. state of Washington, a public development authority (most commonly PDA; also known as a public corporation) is a government-owned corporation. They are established under RCW 35.21.730. which owns 13 properties near the zone, called for its shutdown on June 30: "These residents have become victims of an occupation better characterized today by its violence, chaos and killings than anything else ... Forcing us to choose between anarchy and police brutality is a false dichotomy. Compassion and law-enforcement should not be mutually exclusive." At 5:28 a.m. on July 1, Durkan issued an executive order that "gathering in this area san unlawful assembly requiring immediate action from city agencies, including the Police Department." More than 100 police officers, with help from the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...

, moved into the area and tweeted a warning that anyone remaining or returning would be subject to arrest. Forty-four people were arrested by the end of the day, and another 25 were arrested overnight. The SPD posted a YouTube video depicting violent incidents in the Capitol Hill area. Police maintained roadblocks in the area and restricted access to local residents, workers and business owners; some of the latter alleged that the police presence discouraged customers.

National

On June 9,

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

Ted Cruz Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz (; born December 22, 1970) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Texas since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Cruz served as Solicitor General of Texas from ...

said that the zone was "endangering people's lives". President Trump demanded the following day that Inslee and Durkan "take back" the zone, saying that if they did not do it, he would do it for them. Inslee condemned Trump's involvement in the situation, telling him to "stay out of Washington state's business". On Twitter, Trump criticized Inslee and Durkan and called the protesters " domestic terrorists", and Durkan told the president to "go back to isbunker", referring to his having been evacuated to the

Presidential Emergency Operations Center The Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC, ) is a bunker-like structure underneath the East Wing of the White House. It serves as a secure shelter and communications center for the president of the United States and others in case of a ...

during protests the previous month. Durkan said on June 11 that Trump wanted to construct a narrative about domestic terrorists with a radical agenda to fit his law-and-order initiatives, and that lawfully exercising the

First Amendment First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

right to demand more of society was patriotism, not terrorism. ''USA Today'' called the zone a "protest haven", the

World Socialist Web Site The World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) is the website of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). It describes itself as an "online newspaper of the international Trotskyist movement". The WSWS publishes articles and analys ...

described the zone as an "anarchistic commune", and ''

The Nation ''The Nation'' is an American liberal biweekly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper tha ...

'' called it "an anti-capitalist vision of community sovereignty without police."

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

commentator

Guy Benson Guy Pelham Benson (born March 7, 1985) is an American columnist, commentator, and political pundit. He is a contributor to Fox News, political editor of Townhall.com, and a conservative talk radio host. Benson served as a Fellow at the Georgetow ...

called the occupation of Capitol Hill "

communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...

cosplay Cosplay, a portmanteau of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture, ...

". Rosette Royale, writing for ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'', called the zone "a peaceful realm where people build nearly everything on the fly, as they strive to create a world where the notion that black lives matter shifts from being a slogan to an ever-present reality." Tobias Hoonhout, writing for ''

National Review ''National Review'' is an American conservative editorial magazine, focusing on news and commentary pieces on political, social, and cultural affairs. The magazine was founded by the author William F. Buckley Jr. in 1955. Its editor-in-chief i ...

'', contrasted the

mainstream media In journalism, mainstream media (MSM) is a term and abbreviation used to refer collectively to the various large mass news media that influence many people and both reflect and shape prevailing currents of thought.Chomsky, Noam, ''"What makes mai ...

coverage of the zone, which he deemed sympathetic, to the negative coverage of the 2016 Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation. Gregory J. Wallance, writing for '' The Hill'', called the zone "a cautionary tale for police defunding".

Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...

's website posted photographs purportedly from the zone on June 12, include a man with an assault rifle from an earlier Seattle protest and smashed windows from other parts of Seattle. The website posted an article about protests in Seattle whose accompanying photo, of a burning city, had been taken in

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississip ...

, the previous month. According to ''

'', "Fox's coverage contributed to the appearance of armed unrest". The manipulated and misleading photos were removed, with Fox News saying that it "regret edthese errors".

Monty Python Monty Python (also collectively known as the Pythons) were a British comedy troupe who created the sketch comedy television show '' Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four ...

alumnus

John Cleese John Marwood Cleese ( ; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Emerging from the Cambridge Footlights in the 1960s, he first achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and ...

tweeted on June 15, after a Fox News

anchorwoman A news presenter – also known as a newsreader, newscaster (short for "news broadcaster"), anchorman or anchorwoman, news anchor or simply an anchor – is a person who presents news during a news program on TV, radio or the Internet. ...

read a

Reddit Reddit (; stylized in all lowercase as reddit) is an American social news aggregation, content rating, and discussion website. Registered users (commonly referred to as "Redditors") submit content to the site such as links, text posts, images ...

post on-air indicating purported "signs of rebellion" within the zone, that the post was a joke referring to a scene in ''

Monty Python and the Holy Grail ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail'' is a 1975 British comedy film satirizing the Arthurian legend, written and performed by the Monty Python comedy group (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin) an ...

''. Activists in other cities sought to replicate the autonomous zone in their communities; police stopped protesters in

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...

, and

Asheville, North Carolina Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...

Governor of Tennessee The governor of Tennessee is the head of government of the U.S. state of Tennessee. The governor is the only official in Tennessee state government who is directly elected by the voters of the entire state. The current governor is Bill Lee, a ...

Bill Lee condemned attempts to create an autonomous area in

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...

on June 12, warning protesters in the state that "autonomous zones and violence will not be tolerated." In

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, a group established an encampment which was compared to the Seattle occupation; however, the group's focus was on protesting Philadelphia's anti-homelessness laws. In what CNN called "an apparent reference to the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) in Seattle," protesters spray-painted "BHAZ" (Black House Autonomous Zone) on June 22 on the pillars of St. John's Episcopal Church, across the street from Lafayette Square in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

The next day, Trump tweeted: "There will never be an 'Autonomous Zone' in Washington, D.C., as long as I'm your President. If they try they will be met with serious force!" Twitter cited Trump's tweet for violating the company's policy against abusive behavior: "specifically the presence of a threat of harm against an identifiable group." ''Politico'' reported that CHOP "was a recurring theme throughout" debate by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee of the Democratic-sponsored

police reform Criminal justice reform addresses structural issues in criminal justice systems such as racial profiling, police brutality, overcriminalization, mass incarceration, and recidivism. Criminal justice reform can take place at any point where the cr ...

bill, on June 17. Representative

Debbie Lesko Debra Kay Lesko (née Lorenz; born November 14, 1958) is an American politician and a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing since 2018. The district is in the West Valley portion of the Phoenix metropolitan area a ...

proposed an amendment to cut off federal police grants to any municipality which permits an autonomous zone.

Pramila Jayapal Pramila Jayapal ( ; born September 21, 1965) is an American politician serving as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative from since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, she represents ...

, whose district includes the CHOP, blamed Fox News and "right-wing media pundits" for spreading misinformation. The bill was passed by a majority-Democratic vote. On July 1, referring to the expulsion of protesters from the zone that day by police,

U.S. Attorney General The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...

William Barr William Pelham Barr (born May 23, 1950) is an American attorney who served as the 77th and 85th United States attorney general in the administrations of Presidents George H. W. Bush and Donald Trump. Born and raised in New York City, Barr ...

praised Best "for her courage and leadership in restoring the rule of law in Seattle." White House Press Secretary

Kayleigh McEnany Kayleigh McEnany (; born April 18, 1988) is an American conservative political commentator and author who served the administration of Donald Trump as the 33rd White House press secretary from April 2020 to January 2021. Early in the 2016 Re ...

said, "I am pleased to inform everyone that Seattle has been liberated ... Anarchy is anti-American, law and order is essential, peace in our streets will be secured." The next day, Trump said: "I'm glad to see, in Seattle, they took care of the problem, because as they know, we were going in to take. We were ready to go in and they knew that too. And they went in and they did what they had to do."

Aftermath

Street protests continued after the zone was cleared. The SPD reported vandalism in the Capitol Hill area during the night of July 19;

fireworks Fireworks are a class of Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a l ...

were thrown into the East Precinct, starting a small fire which was rapidly extinguished. Donnitta Sinclair Martin, the mother of Lorenzo Anderson, filed a

against the city that the police and fire department had failed to protect or provide medical assistance for her son and city decisions had created a dangerous environment. A group of 150 people returned to the Capitol Hill neighborhood late at night on July 23 and vandalized several businesses, including a shop owned by a relative of a police officer who fatally shot Charleena Lyles (a pregnant black woman) at home in 2017. On July 25, several thousand protesters gathered in the Capitol Hill neighborhood for demonstrations in solidarity with

. Tensions had escalated in Portland in early July after the Trump administration deployed federal forces against the wishes of local officials, sparking controversy and regenerating the protests. The

Department of Homeland Security The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...

deployed an undisclosed number of federal agents in Seattle on July 23, without notifying local officials, adding to resident unease. An initially peaceful march during the early afternoon of July 25 by the Youth Liberation Front was designated a riot by the SPD after several businesses were destroyed, fires were started in five construction trailers near a future juvenile detention center, and the vehicles of several center employees were vandalized. Forty-seven people were arrested, and 21 police officers were injured. According to ''

Crosscut Crosscut may refer to: * Crosscut.com, an online newspaper in Seattle * Crosscut Peak, a mountain peak in Antarctica * Crosscut Point, a rocky point in the South Sandwich Islands * CrossCut Records, a German record company * A type of saw cut, mo ...

'', many protesters had participated in the understanding that the march's central issues (police brutality and federal overreach) were connected. ''The New York Times'' reported on August 7 that weeks after the protests, several blocks remained boarded up and many business owners were afraid to speak out about their experiences. Carmen Best resigned as the chief of police three days later, after the

Seattle City Council The Seattle City Council is the legislative body of the city of Seattle, Washington. The Council consists of nine members serving four-year terms, seven of which are elected by electoral districts and two of which are elected in citywide at-lar ...

voted to downsize the department by up to 100 out of its 1,400 officers. On Monday, August 24, following a night of protest against the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin, Desmond David-Pitts, 19, of Alaska, helped set a fire against the sally-port door of the East Precinct, while others attempted to bar the door so police could not escape. There was no significant damage but they soon erected temporary cement barrier walls which were later replaced by a tall security fence, to prevent further access to the building. Public hearings about the fate of the zone's public art and community garden began in August, and were expected to continue for several months. On December 16, 2020, an expected third "sweep" of the park was met with resistance by the community. People created makeshift barriers and thwarted SPD's attempts to enter the park. While a federal court considered a temporary restraining order preventing the city from raiding the park, protesters took advantage of the turnout to occupy a private building owned by a real estate developer across the street from the northern end of the park.

References

External links

Live stream – ''The Stranger'' via YouTube

''New York Times'', June 26, 2020 {{Authority control 2020 establishments in Washington (state) 2020 disestablishments in Washington (state) 2020 in Seattle Black Lives Matter Capitol Hill, Seattle Cooperatives in the United States Counterculture communities Deaths by firearm in Washington (state) Far-left politics in the United States George Floyd protests in Seattle Protest camps June 2020 events in the United States July 2020 events in the United States Populated places established in 2020 Populated places disestablished in 2020 Micronations Protests in Seattle Riots and civil disorder in Washington (state) Separatism in the United States Urban politics in the United States Secessionist organizations in the United States