Police reclaimed the area of downtown Seattle, formerly known as CHOP (Capitol Hill Occupied Protest zone) early Wednesday.
Around 5 a.m., police moved in to dismantle the area around the East Precinct 29 days after Black Lives Matter activists took over six city blocks and chased the police out.
Six people – all Black – were shot by CHOP zone “security” forces over the past 2 weeks. Two Black teenagers, ages 16 and 17, were killed by CHOP security.
City workers used heavy machinery to clear out barricades, tents, sofas, armchairs and other junk from the area. They removed tons of trash.
BLM activists were rousted out of their sleep by police who ordered them to evacuate their tents in Cal Anderson Park. 23 arrests were made when some activists refused to leave.
Police tweeted anyone who remains in the area or returns to it will be subject to arrest.
Mayor Jenny Durkan, who initially supported the protesters, signed an executive order allowing police to clear the CHOP zone and arrest protesters if necessary.
“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,” the Seattle Police Department tweeted on Wednesday.
“As I have said, and I will say again, I support peaceful demonstrations. Black Lives Matter, and I too want to help propel this movement toward meaningful change in our community.?But enough is enough,” she said.
CHOP was previously called CHAZ (Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone), but the name was changed after the shootings began and police and paramedics refused to enter the autonomous zone to treat the wounded.
