Anarchy in Seattle--Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone

[Brainster]

Seattle has apparently ceded control of part of the city, now called the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) to the protestors.

The NY Times was rapturous:

What has emerged is an experiment in life without the police — part street festival, part commune. Hundreds have gathered to hear speeches, poetry and music. On Tuesday night, dozens of people sat in the middle of an intersection to watch “13th,” the Ava DuVernay film about the criminal justice system’s impact on African-Americans. On Wednesday, children made chalk drawings in the middle of the street.

City Journal was notably less glowing in their coverage:

On the new rebel state’s first night, the atmosphere was festive and triumphant. Hooded men spray-painted the police station with slogans and anarchist symbols, renaming it the “Seattle People’s Department East Precinct.” Raz Simone, a local rapper with an AK-47 slung from his shoulder and a pistol attached to his hip, screamed, “This is war!” into a white-and-red megaphone and instructed armed paramilitaries to guard the barricades in shifts. Later in the night, Simone was filmed allegedly assaulting multiple protestors who disobeyed his orders, informing them that he was the "police" now, sparking fears that he was becoming the de facto warlord of the autonomous zone. A homeless man with a baseball bat wandered along the borderline and two unofficial medics in medieval-style chain mail stood ready for action.

Well, nature abhors a vacuum.

It's all kind of amusing to watch from afar, but let's remember that Seattle has effectively ceded control over thousands of peoples' lives and property to the mob. And I have the slightest bit of doubt that Raz Simone will prove more accountable to the people than the police have been.

 

[BobTheCoward]

That sounds pretty fun

 

[TurkeysGhost]

Right wing rags are now trying to spin this story about Raz anointing himself some sort of warlord god-king of the CHAZ. There is video of him and his goons beating people, but other reporting from people on the ground in the CHAZ dispute that Raz is wielding any police/military authority.

It's worth pointing out that much less violence has occurred in the CHAZ than on the streets where the cops are shooting gas and grenades at peaceful demonstrators. The day before the police vacated the area, they stopped a woman's heart with a stun grenade and shot non-lethal rounds at the medics that saved her life. I see zero reports of people in the CHAZ being tear gassed since the cops left.

Should be a nice little holiday from police violence for these people who have been suffering over a week of violent suppression from the Seattle Police.

Reports from the police about the CHAZ should not be taken at face value.

Look upon the face of anarchy. The horror!

https://twitter.com/Papa_Cody/status/1270942039228608516

 

[Brainster]

I feel certain it will all turn out great, just like Mogadishu.

 

[Shalamar]

I feel certain it will all turn out great, just like Mogadishu.

Don't worry, the police will be back in, blinding people, spraying teargas, pushing old men down onto pavement. maybe you'll be lucky, and a police officer can put a knee on someones neck, ending their life! I know that would make you happy!

 

[crescent]

I feel certain it will all turn out great, just like Mogadishu.

Or Bunkerville, or Malheur. Except those places had more guns.

 

[carlitos]

Maybe they can create a little version of Freetown Christiana^WP there?

 

[Brainster]

Don't worry, the police will be back in, blinding people, spraying teargas, pushing old men down onto pavement. maybe you'll be lucky, and a police officer can put a knee on someones neck, ending their life! I know that would make you happy!

Meet the new knee,
Same as the old knee!

 

[Shalamar]

Meet the new knee,
Same as the old knee!

No worries, I get it. You really don't care about violence and death. But it seems to warm your heart when non people, aka libs, get hurt.

I have no faith that this 'autonomous zone' will last, but at least I'm not hoping that the police will come in and kill everyone.

 

[Checkmite]

By "ceding control" of course is meant that city officials have decided not to have police forcefully clear out the protesters, and the business about an "Autonomous Zone" is just something made up by some of the protesters.

 

[Shalamar]

By "ceding control" of course is meant that city officials have decided not to have police forcefully clear out the protesters, and the business about an "Autonomous Zone" is just something made up by some of the protesters.

The City and the police have 'ceded' control due to the excessive police violence.

The violence will likely return, in one form or another.

 

[Distracted1]

Seems like fun.
Just the kind of stupid **** I would have gotten myself into 35 years ago.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk8WCKmVLN8

 

[Mumbles]

Right wing rags are now trying to spin this story about Raz anointing himself some sort of warlord god-king of the CHAZ. There is video of him and his goons beating people, but other reporting from people on the ground in the CHAZ dispute that Raz is wielding any police/military authority.

It's worth pointing out that much less violence has occurred in the CHAZ than on the streets where the cops are shooting gas and grenades at peaceful demonstrators. The day before the police vacated the area, they stopped a woman's heart with a stun grenade and shot non-lethal rounds at the medics that saved her life. I see zero reports of people in the CHAZ being tear gassed since the cops left.

Considering that BLM and other nonviolent activist groups have done a vastly better job of preventing looting, arson, and so forth than the police in many of these situations (because they're locals who actually care, while cops are outsiders that often use the old "animals are running wild!" narrative to get more funding for buildings and paramilitary toys, usually at the community's expense), I could easily believe that.

And yeah, I've seen a handful of videos of the usual street fight you can find on any random day on numerous websites, but nobody with an AK-47 of all the nonsense. I did see names like Andy Ngo and Glenn Beck prominently featured prominently, though - two people with no credibility whatsoever. Nothing yet from nuts like Alex Jones or that Crowder buffoon, though.

 

[sir drinks-a-lot]

If I knew how to post the emoticon of that little guy eating popcorn, I'd do it here.

 

[caveman1917]

Exarchia everywhere!

 

[Mike!]

If I knew how to post the emoticon of that little guy eating popcorn, I'd do it here.

Here you go...

 

[caveman1917]

Fascinating.

Radical Left Governor @JayInslee and the Mayor of Seattle are being taunted and played at a level that our great Country has never seen before. Take back your city NOW. If you don’t do it, I will. This is not a game. These ugly Anarchists must be stopped IMMEDIATELY. MOVE FAST!

 

[shemp]

I feel certain it will all turn out great, just like Mogadishu.

Nice strawman! Go for the throat! Oh, sorry, some cops already did that?

 

[shemp]

Fascinating.

Perhaps Bunker Boy will call in the Army to crack heads? I'd like to see them refuse to go there, and leave him curled up in the corner crying for his mommy.

 

[dann]

Maybe they can create a little version of Freetown Christiana^WP there?

I wouldn't recommend it.