One week ago the Seattle police abandoned their East District station in the Capitol Hill Neighborhood, after a group of protestors took over the area and declared it the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ). Since taking over the zone there were barriers set up to cordon off the space with armed "security" at the entrances, checking people in and out of the neighborhood. Assaults, robberies, rumors of extortion of local businesses and residents, a fire at the police station, and several fights among the organizers and visitors are just a few of the incidents reported in the past week. One incident, in particular, happened late last night and had city emergency services called and ambulances dispatched.
The latest development to come out of CHAZ is they have decided to change their name from CHAZ to CHOP. An organizer on a bullhorn over the weekend announced the decision to change the name to CHOP (Capitol Hill Occupied or Organized Protest). Apparently, there is some confusion as to what the "O" stands for. The bullhorn organizer announced, "Does anybody know what happened to the people who did not get on board with the French Revolution?" "CHOPPED," the crowd answered, organizer "Say it louder", the crowd "Chopped!".
An unnamed organizer during an interview stated, “this is not an autonomous zone, and we’re not trying to secede from the United States.” The organizer went on to say that "outsiders" called it CHAZ.
One resident who lives about a block from the CHOP area gave an interview to Shelby Talcott of the Daily Caller said "I'm scared and I've been scared every day since Sunday and I haven't gotten a lot of sleep" He added, "Because for the first time in my life in Capitol Hill I hear gunshots every single night, I've heard people screaming every single night and they are not protest screams, these are screams of terror and I don't know what is happening out there". He went on to say he's seen people with umbrellas and walkie talkies that are organized and not there to protest. "At what point do you realize these people are not there to peacefully protest".
The resident went on to explain how, he believes, that the protesters had planned the take-over of this area. "They (the protesters) pulled dumpsters out" he added, "This was when I realized this was coordinated, people peeled off in specific ways". "They had bookbags and one guy that was taking cover behind the dumpster was taking stuff out of his bookbag and throwing it at the police over the top of the dumpster". He continued, "No idea what that was, but there was a war going on right here".
The interview continued with the resident recounting a situation when he tried to call Governor Jay Inslee's office to discuss the Seattle Police Guild's open letter. The Letter states in part "But now I am appealing to you for help, because I fear that our daily peaceful protests are unfortunately being stolen at night by a group of criminal agitators who continue to attempt to provoke police. This hostile, violent group continues to throw projectiles and injure police officers. Many SPOG members have sustained significant injuries including broken bones, stitches, bruises and one almost lost an eye. This is unacceptable."
When he made the call to the governors office, he was shocked to hear a two-minute auto recording "about telling me how to report non-essential businesses like hair salons for being opened". When he finally was able to speak with a staffer at the Governor's office he was told "The only thing I can tell you is to refer you to the Governor's previous remarks he has made". The resident said he tried to talk to the staffer on a "human to human" level. "What if this was your house and your police station you were looking at?" the staff replied "Sir, I don't want to make this personal" the resident said "This is personal because this is my home and I don't have cops anymore and I have people throwing grenades in front of me and you're telling me to just google something the Governor said a few days ago", staffer replied, "Don't make it personal".
The President has repeatedly tweeted out simply: "Law and Order" over the past couple of weeks with the latest tweet this morning.
