The Seattle Police Department was finally allowed to return to the area around the East Precinct and push out the occupiers from the "Capitol Hill Occupied Protest," formerly known as the "Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone" early Wednesday morning.
Mayor Jenny Durkan issued the executive order following multiple shootings inside and near the CHOP, which included the death of a 16-year-old.
Due to ongoing violence and public safety issues in the East Precinct/Cal Anderson Park area. Mayor Jenny Durkan has issued an executive order to vacate the area. Seattle police will be in the area this morning enforcing the Mayor’s order. https://t.co/SpVRYIB8eg pic.twitter.com/JAt2AvUTCr
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) July 1, 2020
Occupiers tried and failed to prevent Seattle police from moving in and taking over the area:
Video from earlier this morning as @SeattlePD moved on #CHOP to end occupation. #Q13FOX pic.twitter.com/A9ucQRYBB0
— Brandi Kruse (@BrandiKruse) July 1, 2020
Just saw a cone thrown at police. Protestors trying to barricade w toppled porta potties. @KING5Seattle pic.twitter.com/6eLOoBpLrO
— Michael Crowe (@MichaelReports) July 1, 2020
Police have cleared #CHOP to Pike @KING5Seattle pic.twitter.com/0GUSkZkFA0
— Michael Crowe (@MichaelReports) July 1, 2020
The Seattle Police Department said their officers were in riot gear because "individuals associated w/the CHOP are known to be armed and dangerous/may be associated with shootings, homicides, robberies, assaults &other violent crimes."
Shortly after the formation of the CHOP, when officers were ordered to leave the East Precinct following days of clashes with rioters, President Trump tweeted how the Seattle city government needed to take back control of the area. In response, Durkan said her city was "fine."
Seattle is fine. Don’t be so afraid of democracy. https://t.co/o26PkJnYhA
— Mayor Jenny Durkan (@MayorJenny) June 12, 2020
From my time in the CHAZ/CHOP, I knew it would degrade and it was only a matter of time before the situation got really dangerous. It's why I knew the media would trip over themselves by just trying to portray the zone as a block party. While things were peaceful some of the time, there were plenty of other instances, particularly at night, where fights broke out and other crimes were committed.