Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone

The Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ), also known as Free Capitol Hill, the Capitol Hill Organized Protest and the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP), is an occupation protest and self-declared autonomous zone in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The zone, originally covering six city blocks and a park, was established by George Floyd protesters on June 8, 2020 after the Seattle Police Department (SPD) vacated its East Precinct building. Local governance in the zone is decentralized, with the goal of creating a neighborhood without police. On June 9, 2020, protesters demanded rent control, the reversal of gentrification, the abolition or defunding of police, funding of community health, and releasing prisoners serving time for marijuana-related offenses or resisting arrest, with expungement of their records. Reactions to the zone have varied through the political spectrum. President Donald Trump referred to the occupants as "ugly Anarchists" and called for the governor of Washington and the mayor of Seattle to "take back" the zone, while Mayor Jenny Durkan on June 11 described the zone as "four blocks in Seattle that is more like a block party atmosphere. It's not an armed takeover. It's not a military junta. We will make sure that we will restore this but we have block parties and the like in this part of Seattle all the time ... there is no threat right now to the public." On June 14, USA Today confirmed the festive atmosphere, reporting that protesters who had previously clashed with police "have had their rough edges dulled by tens of thousands of tourists and sightseers. CHAZ has morphed into what looks and feels like a mini Burning Man festival." Following the zone's founding, SPD Chief Carmen Best said that the police department was looking at different approaches to "reduce their footprint" in the Capitol Hill neighborhood but later said that officials were working to return police officers to the precinct. She stressed the "need to have officers responding to calls in a timely fashion. And with the occupation that's taking place, we're not able to do so in a timely way." On June 14, Chief Best spoke of having marched with Black Lives Matter (BLM) in the zone two days before: "I was looking at the 60,000 people that were there, signs saying, you know, defund the police, stop police brutality, you know, no qualified immunity. And I just realized it was a moment, an epiphany, that this is a pivotal moment in history. We are going to move in a different direction and policing will never be the same as it was before." On June 12, BLM protesters were reportedly negotiating with local officials to leave the zone. Four days later, the zone's roadblocks were replaced and moved, allowing for emergency service vehicles to pass through and decreasing CHAZ's size to three blocks. Background: Capitol Hill is a district in downtown Seattle known for its prominent LGBT and counterculture communities. The district was previously a center for other mass protests, such as the 1999 Seattle WTO protests and Occupy Seattle. Protests over the killing of George Floyd and police brutality began in Seattle on May 29, 2020. For nine days there were street clashes involving protesters, the Seattle Police Department (SPD), Washington State Patrol, and Washington National Guard. On June 5, Mayor Jenny Durkan and SPD Chief Carmen Best announced a 30-day ban on the use of tear gas. Protests eventually coalesced around the SPD's East Precinct building, where the SPD used aggressive dispersal tactics, including blast balls, flash bangs, and pepper spray. By June 7, police were placing barricades around the precinct and boarding up its windows. Later that day, a car drove into a crowd of protesters, after which the driver shot a protester who had attempted to disarm him, before surrendering to police. The crowd outside the precinct grew and police, reporting that protesters were throwing bottles, rocks, and fireworks, were authorized to resume the use of tear gas shortly after midnight. Over 12,000 complaints were filed about the police response to the demonstrations, and members of the Seattle city council questioned how many weapons had in fact been thrown at the police. The following afternoon, in a "police retreat", the SPD abandoned the East Precinct. Protesters, initially suspicious of the police's motives, moved into the area, erected street barricades at a one-block radius from the station, and declared the area "Free Capitol Hill". As of June 19, it remained unclear who within the SPD had made the decision to retreat from the East Precinct. Territory: The zone is centered around the East Precinct building, a police precinct from which the police retreated on June 8. It stretches north to East Denny Way, east to 13th Avenue, south to East Pike, and west to Broadway. The entirety of Cal Anderson Park falls inside of the zone. Protesters used blockades and fences to construct staggered barricades at intersections. The entrance of the zone's territory is marked by a barrier reading "You Are Entering Free Capitol Hill." Other signs declared "You are now leaving the USA." Spray paint renamed the occupied police station as the "Seattle People's Department East Precinct" amid anarchist symbols and graffiti. On June 16, the city and representatives of CHAZ agreed on a footprint for the zone. The new layout was posted on Mayor Durkan's blog following the agreement. The blog entry states the reasoning for the agreement between the two parties: "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." As part of the agreement the city agreed to remove the old barriers and replace them with concrete along the new agreed-upon zone boundaries. On June 18, NPR reported, "Nobody inside the protest zone thinks a police return would end peacefully. Small teams of armed antifascists are also present, self-proclaimed community defense forces who say they're ready to fight if needed but that de-escalation is preferred." Internal governance: The Seattle Times has referred to demonstrations in the area as the "Capitol Hill Occupied Protest" and the "Capitol Hill Organized Protest" (CHOP), with NBC News saying CHAZ is "part protest, part commune". Reports describe the zone's structure as a cross between Occupy Wall Street and an independent student housing cooperative. Occupants have said their intentions are to create a neighborhood without police and a society where the police are no longer necessary. Occupants of the zone favor consensus decision-making instead of designating leaders who, according to one protester, can be "taken out"—killed or arrested. However, City Journal on June 10 reported that radical activist and former mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver had assumed a leadership role in the zone. Protesters hold frequent town halls to decide strategy and make plans. Seattle officials have not seen evidence of Antifa umbrella groups organizing in the zone. On June 15, SPD Chief Best said, "There is no cop-free zone in the city of Seattle." Best indicated officers will go into the zone if there are 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." Demands: On June 9, 2020, a blog post containing a list of 30 demands appeared on Medium, including abolition of the Seattle Police Department and the court system; defunding the SPD and reallocating those funds to community health; banning police use of firearms, batons, riot shields, and chemical agents; immediately releasing prisoners serving time for marijuana-related offenses or resisting arrest, with expungement of their records; mandatory retrials for people of color who are serving sentences for violent crimes; and prison abolition. Other demands included reforming education to increase the focus on black and Native American history; free college; and free public housing. There was reportedly internal debate within the area over how many demands the commune should be putting forward, as some believe this is the start of a larger revolution while others believe police brutality should stay the immediate focus. On June 10, approximately 1,000 protesters marched to the Seattle City Hall demanding the resignation of Mayor Durkan. Security: Protesters have accepted the open carry of firearms as a provision of safety. Members of the self-described anti-fascist, anti-racist, and pro-worker Puget Sound John Brown Gun Club (PSJBGC) were reported on June 9 as carrying rifles in the zone. Although the zone fell within the restricted area subject to Mayor Durkan's May 30 emergency order prohibiting the use of weapons including guns, her ban did not mandate enforcement. The Washington Post reported on June 12 that PSJBGC was on site but with no weapons visible, and USA Today the same day reported that "no one appeared armed with a gun". Reporters from a local Seattle-based Fox affiliate were chased out of the zone by occupants on June 9. Volunteers within the area have formed an informal group to provide security, with an emphasis on de-escalation tactics and preventing vandalism. On June 7, however, a man drove into a crowd in the zone and shot another man who reached into his car and tried to stop him. The victim was not seriously injured. On June 16, Seattle's KIRO-TV quoted an eight-year tenant of an apartment near the East Precinct as saying, "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 have temporarily moved out and others have installed security cameras. A man who said he "100 percent" supports the protest told KOMO-TV: "I don't even feel safe anymore." According to The Stranger, on June 18, a volunteer medic intervened during a sexual assault within a tent inside the occupied park area; the alleged perpetrator was arrested and held on $75,000 bail. Shootings: On June 20 at 2:19 a.m., local residents reported gunshots in the zone to 9-1-1. At least seven shots were fired in under three seconds. Two victims were transported to the hospital by volunteers. A 19-year-old man died and a 33-year-old man was in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit with life-threatening injuries. The shooting occurred at Cal Anderson Park, one block from the empty East Precinct building, abandoned on June 8. SPD attempted to respond but was, according to its blotter, "met by a violent crowd that prevented officers safe access to the victims." The New York Times reported that armed police entered the zone wearing riot gear and were met by protesters screaming, "The victim left the premises!" A departmental spokeswoman said SPD is reviewing public-source video and body camera video, some of which SPD released, but no suspects were in custody. SPD has not identified the victims or the motive for the shooting. CHOP representatives released a statement to the media saying that the individuals involved may have had history, which seemed to escalate because of "gang affiliations". The Seattle Times reported that the teenager who was killed had graduated from high school the previous day. Both KCPQ, citing family members, and KIRO-TV, citing friends, reported the decedent's name as Lorenzo Anderson, with KIRO-TV adding that he was a local rapper who went by "Lil Mob". Another shooting occurred on June 21, the second such incident in the zone in less than 48 hours, leaving one person wounded. After being transported in a private vehicle to Harborview Medical Center, the 17-year-old male was treated for a gunshot wound to the arm and released. He declined to speak with SPD detectives. Police were unable to confirm reports of a second victim. Culture and amenities: Organizers pitched tents next to the former precinct in order to hold the space. They established the No Cop Co-op on June 9, offering free water, hand sanitizer, snacks donated by the community, and kebabs. Stalls were set up which offered cuisine such as vegan curry while others collected donations for the homeless. Two medical stations were established in the zone — the stations deliver basic health care to the homeless and sex workers. The intersection of 12th and Pine was converted to a square for teach-ins, where a microphone was used to encourage people who were there "to fuck shit up" to go home. An outdoor cinema with a sound system and projector was set up and used to screen open-air movies. The first film shown was 13th, Ava DuVernay's documentary about racism and mass incarceration. The Seattle Department of Transportation provided portable toilets. An area at 11th and Pine was set aside as the "Decolonization Conversation Café", a discussion area with daily topics. The Marshall Law Band, a Seattle-based hip-hop fusion group, has performed for protesters. The city is still providing services to the area, including trash removal and fire and rescue services; the SPD has also said they will respond to 9-1-1 calls within the area. On June 15, KIRO-TV reported a break-in and fire at an auto shop located near the zone, to which the SPD did not respond; Police Chief Best later stated that officers observed the building from a distance and saw no sign of disturbance. The public health department of King County has provided COVID-19 testing in Cal Anderson Park. A block-long street mural saying "Black Lives Matter" was painted June 10–11, located on East Pine Street between 10th and 11th Avenues. Visitors can light small candles and leave flowers at three shrines, which feature photographs and notes expressing sentiments related to George Floyd and other victims of police brutality. On June 19, special events ranging from a "grief ritual" to a dance party were held in observation of Juneteenth. Vegetable gardens have been planted by the occupants of Cal Anderson Park, with a farm also operating in the park where communards grow a variety of food products using donated seeds. The Seattle Times on June 11 reported that restaurant owners in the area had an uptick in walk-up business and a concomitant reduction in delivery costs. However, on June 14, USA Today reported that most businesses in the zone had closed, "although a liquor store, ramen restaurant and taco joint are still doing brisk business". Reactions- Local: Mayor Jenny Durkan called the creation of the zone an attempt to "de-escalate interactions between protestors and law enforcement", while Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best said that her officers would look at different approaches to "reduce their footprint" in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. City Council member Kshama Sawant, who belongs to the Trotskyist Socialist Alternative party, spoke to the occupants of Cal Anderson Park on June 8. She called for the protesters to turn the precinct into a community center for restorative justice. On June 10, Assistant Police Chief Deanna Nollette said in a 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." She said police had received reports that "armed individuals" were running barricades set up by protesters as checkpoints, "intimidating community members", and that police had "heard anecdotally" of residents and businesses being asked to pay a fee to operate in the area, adding, "This is the crime of extortion." The following day, Best said the police had not received "any formal reports" of extortion, and the Greater Seattle Business Association said they "found no evidence of this occurring". On June 11, the SPD announced their desire to re-enter the abandoned East Precinct building, and said they still operate within the zone's territory. Governor Jay Inslee, on the same day, said the zone was "unpermitted" but "largely peaceful". On June 12, Police Chief 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." In the early morning hours of June 12, an unknown man set a fire at the East Precinct building and walked away; community residents extinguished the flames before they could spread beyond the building's external wall or to the nearby tents. Later that day, Mayor Durkan visited the zone and told a New York Times reporter that she did not know of any serious crime that was reported in the area. On June 16, a deal was struck between occupation representatives and the city to "rezone" the occupied area to allow better street access for businesses and local services. On June 17, KING-TV reported that some are frustrated with the occupation of the area near their homes. One couple commented: "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." KING-TV reported also receiving anonymous emails from other local residents expressing "real concerns". On June 18, unease was reportedly being expressed by many black protesters about the zone and its use of Black Lives Matter slogans. According to NPR, "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!" National: On June 9, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz from Texas stated that the zone was "endangering people's lives". The next day, President Donald Trump demanded that Governor Inslee and Mayor 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". Trump followed up by calling the protesters "domestic terrorists". Durkan told President Trump to "go back to his bunker". On June 11, Durkan responded further: "Unfortunately, our president wants to tell a story about domestic terrorists who have a radical agenda and are promoting a conspiracy that fits his law and order initiatives. It's simply not true. Lawfully gathering and expressing first amendment rights, demanding we do better as a society, and providing true equity for communities of color is not terrorism. It's patriotism." USA Today described the zone as a "protest haven". Conservative pundit Guy Benson mocked the occupation of Capitol Hill as "communist cosplay". National Review contrasted the mainstream media coverage of the zone, which they deemed as sympathetic, to the negative coverage of the 2016 Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation. On June 12, the Fox News website published digitally altered photographs of the area, to include a man armed with an assault rifle from earlier Seattle protests; also added to the photographs were smashed windows from other parts of Seattle. In a separate incident, the Fox News website ran articles about protests in Seattle; however, the accompanying photo of a burning city was actually taken in Saint Paul, Minnesota the previous month. Although the area was mainly peaceful, "Fox's coverage contributed to the appearance of armed unrest", stated The Washington Post. The manipulated and wrongly used images were removed, with Fox News stating that it "regrets these errors". On June 15, Monty Python co-founder John Cleese mocked a Fox News anchorwoman for reading on air a Reddit post indicating purported "signs of rebellion" within the zone, which turned out to be a joke referencing a scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Protesters in other cities sought to replicate the autonomous zone in their own communities. Protesters in Portland, Oregon and in Asheville, North Carolina also tried to create autonomous zones but were stopped by the police. On June 12, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee condemned the attempts to create an autonomous area in Nashville, warning protesters in the state that "Autonomous zones, and violence will not be tolerated." In Philadelphia, a group established an encampment that has been compared to the Capitol Hill occupation; however, the primary focus is not autonomy but to protest Philadelphia's anti-homelessness laws. On June 17, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee acrimoniously debated a major police reform bill that marked Congress's first attempt to address the issue since George Floyd died in police custody. Seattle's Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, Politico reported, "was a recurring theme throughout the proceedings". Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.) offered an amendment to cut off federal police grants to any municipality that allows an autonomous zone. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), whose district includes CHAZ, blamed Fox News and "right-wing media pundits" for spreading misinformation. The bill was eventually approved by a majority-Democratic vote and is expected to pass in the full House, again along party lines, but it is unlikely to survive in the Republican-dominated Senate.