Tipsheet

Cracks Are Starting to Appear at Seattle's 'Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone'

Julio Rosas
Julio Rosas  |  June 11, 2020 3:35 PM

Seattle, Wash. — In a shock to no one, days after Seattle's government gave the area around the city's East Precinct to protesters following days of unrest, there are tensions within the loose coalition of people occupying the area and evidence they still are relying on city's services to help the "Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone."

While the zone has been relatively peaceful, it took less than 48 hours for an armed local, a rapper by the name of Raz Simone, to start "policing" the area with firearms. This led to a tense confrontation with a tagger that resulted in an alleged assault of a streamer who recorded the interaction.

The problems have not stopped there. In addition to still utilizing the city's power, water, and porta-potties, the occupiers called the Seattle Fire Department after a dumpster fire was started just outside the "Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone" as it threatened to set a nearby building on fire.

Without the presence of police in the area, things can be dangerous for people accused of wrongdoing. In one instance, a young man was accused of stealing a phone from another protester. A crowd quickly surrounded him and tried to interrogate him, with one individual brandishing a baseball bat in the man's face. The accused thief was clearly frightened and explained he did not steal anything, to which the crowd asked why did he run away.

The situation was resolved after it was discovered the phone was never stolen, but it only came after the man was able to once again run away from the crowd.

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President Trump has tweeted that if the city of Seattle or Washington state refuses to get the situation under control in the "Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone," then the federal government will have to step in.