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Anarchy in Seattle--Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone

Brainster said:
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:



City Journal was notably less glowing in their coverage:



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.
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Now is their chance to prove that racism-free community leaders can form a racism-free zone within major cities where POC can finally feel safe from the oppressive forces of laws and regulations.
 
They can do what Antifa LARPers like to do in Portland: Stop traffic and needlessly order them around in order to fulfill their fantasies of being a traffic cop.
 
It's hilarious to read all these reports of the rampant violence and insanity in the CHAZ (Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone). You know what they've done? They've cleaned up, opened a clinic and a co-op food stand and invited a hot dog seller to vend on the street. They've arranged with the city for sanitation services. They've had movies and concerts and (of course) a lot of speeches. They've set up an outdoor smoking zone so that people who don't like or are sensitive to the smoke can avoid it. And yes, they have a night patrol to protect residents from a surprise attack from police, Proud Boys, or right-wing militias.

They haven't set up any Checkpoint Charlie, they haven't shaken down businesses for protection money, it really is much closer to Freetown Christiania than it is Mogadishu.
They've also made it clear to people that they don't want to damage the building - most want to make it into a community center - so all the police commentary about how horrible it would be if somebody burned down an old wood-framed building with inadequate fire suppression seem to be for naught.
 
I awake this morning to the aftermath. The police chief is washing her hands of it, saying she was against the decision to pull the police out and blaming the mayor.

It has echoes of Haight-Ashbury. Starts out with the flower children peace and love, free food, free clothes, we can all get along. Ends up with the drug users shooting up on the corner.

There have been [apparently questionable] claims of armed intruders asking people for payments lest their stores be ravaged and asking people for their IDs to assure they live in the area. This has nothing to do with the BLM movement. It has to do with the usual human condition of a few people moving in to take advantage of the unmitigated chaos.

Revised based on deadrose's post. I am inclined to believe the majority of the protesters were and are indeed not involved in all the bad stuff the news media likes because it sells their news commodity.

It appears we are still in the flower-children phase. :D

:popcorn1
 
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deadrose said:
It's hilarious to read all these reports of the rampant violence and insanity in the CHAZ (Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone). You know what they've done? They've cleaned up, opened a clinic and a co-op food stand and invited a hot dog seller to vend on the street. They've arranged with the city for sanitation services. They've had movies and concerts and (of course) a lot of speeches. They've set up an outdoor smoking zone so that people who don't like or are sensitive to the smoke can avoid it. And yes, they have a night patrol to protect residents from a surprise attack from police, Proud Boys, or right-wing militias.

They haven't set up any Checkpoint Charlie, they haven't shaken down businesses for protection money, it really is much closer to Freetown Christiania than it is Mogadishu.
They've also made it clear to people that they don't want to damage the building - most want to make it into a community center - so all the police commentary about how horrible it would be if somebody burned down an old wood-framed building with inadequate fire suppression seem to be for naught.
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Hmmm, I'm happy to hear this. The news this morning was more dire.

Who trashed the police station? Or did that not happen?
 
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deadrose said:
Here is an open-to-all Facebook album of photos taken yesterday. Sorry it involves FB but you shouldn't need an account to view them.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10159468387582069&set=pcb.10159468388827069&type=3&theater

Hopefully that pleases everyone. The link is described properly, and people can also see the URL so they know where they're headed. Sure does look dangerous!
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FB is cool. I don't post on mine but I have an account to keep up with my cousins, brother, and a couple friends who do.

Thanks.
 
deadrose said:
It's hilarious to read all these reports of the rampant violence and insanity in the CHAZ (Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone). You know what they've done? They've cleaned up, opened a clinic and a co-op food stand and invited a hot dog seller to vend on the street. They've arranged with the city for sanitation services. They've had movies and concerts and (of course) a lot of speeches. They've set up an outdoor smoking zone so that people who don't like or are sensitive to the smoke can avoid it. And yes, they have a night patrol to protect residents from a surprise attack from police, Proud Boys, or right-wing militias.

They haven't set up any Checkpoint Charlie, they haven't shaken down businesses for protection money, it really is much closer to Freetown Christiania than it is Mogadishu.
They've also made it clear to people that they don't want to damage the building - most want to make it into a community center - so all the police commentary about how horrible it would be if somebody burned down an old wood-framed building with inadequate fire suppression seem to be for naught.
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Somebody found a video of some amateur rapper beating someone up, and the official conservative line is now literally that this guy is an actual warlord who rules the "autonomous zone".
 
deadrose said:
They haven't set up any Checkpoint Charlie, they haven't shaken down businesses for protection money, it really is much closer to Freetown Christiania than it is Mogadishu.
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So there's lots of drug dealers there? What about bikers? Have they moved in yet or are they on their way to set up shop?
 
Brainster said:
I feel certain it will all turn out great, just like Mogadishu.
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Or maybe just like the Common Ground Collective that formed in New Orleans after Katrina due to the failure of local and federal agencies to 'fix' anything.

Hopefully CHAZ won't be infiltrated and ruined by FBI agents like the CGC
 
deadrose said:
It's hilarious to read all these reports of the rampant violence and insanity in the CHAZ (Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone). You know what they've done? They've cleaned up, opened a clinic and a co-op food stand and invited a hot dog seller to vend on the street. They've arranged with the city for sanitation services. They've had movies and concerts and (of course) a lot of speeches. They've set up an outdoor smoking zone so that people who don't like or are sensitive to the smoke can avoid it. And yes, they have a night patrol to protect residents from a surprise attack from police, Proud Boys, or right-wing militias.

They haven't set up any Checkpoint Charlie, they haven't shaken down businesses for protection money, it really is much closer to Freetown Christiania than it is Mogadishu.
They've also made it clear to people that they don't want to damage the building - most want to make it into a community center - so all the police commentary about how horrible it would be if somebody burned down an old wood-framed building with inadequate fire suppression seem to be for naught.
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Armed patrol makes a lot of sense. Anyone familiar with the Seattle-Portland scene knows that armed, belligerent Proud Boys and/or Patriot Prayer types are a very real threat at any protest involving leftists. At best, the police won't lift a finger to stop this right wing violence, at worst, they will collaborate with these types.
 
Looking this up on twitter:

Lots of disinformation running around, Seems like a lot of right wingers are having meltdowns over this. Wanting to send in the military and such.

On scene, it seems peaceful. Contrary to the misinformation campaign, they have not run out of snacks, have not had food stores emptied by homeless people.

Conservatives: “terrorists are destroying Seattle! City is in ruins!”

Seattle terrorists “u look tired here’s a burrito. Im gonna paint a mural and pick up trash later if u wanna help”
 
Arcade22 said:
So there's lots of drug dealers there? What about bikers? Have they moved in yet or are they on their way to set up shop?
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What would they need dealers for, cannabis is legal here :D

I doubt the bikers would be willing to live in tents and leave their bikes out in the rain, much less enjoying the collective lifestyle. Seriously, I have friends going down there and reporting back that it's far calmer and more peaceful than the regular street festivals and block parties that take place every year.
 
crescent said:
Looking this up on twitter:

Lots of disinformation running around, Seems like a lot of right wingers are having meltdowns over this. Wanting to send in the military and such.

On scene, it seems peaceful. Contrary to the misinformation campaign, they have not run out of snacks, have not had food stores emptied by homeless people.

Conservatives: “terrorists are destroying Seattle! City is in ruins!”

Seattle terrorists “u look tired here’s a burrito. Im gonna paint a mural and pick up trash later if u wanna help”
Click to expand...

I had to laugh at the Police Chief's latest speech. She repeated all the bits about ID, protection money, armed patrols and everything, adding only the disclaimer "People are saying..." Then she asked for anyone experiencing this to contact the police.

In other words, they have no actual incidents, just hearsay, but they'll make sure the rumors are repeated on camera.
 
deadrose said:
I had to laugh at the Police Chief's latest speech. She repeated all the bits about ID, protection money, armed patrols and everything, adding only the disclaimer "People are saying..." Then she asked for anyone experiencing this to contact the police.

In other words, they have no actual incidents, just hearsay, but they'll make sure the rumors are repeated on camera.
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No footage of any armed checkpoints, no interviews with extorted shop owners.

In truth, I am pretty pessimistic about the long-term viability of this. With careful management of the group dynamics, they might be able to stretch it out for a few months, like the Occupy movement all over again. It might fizzle out before then, or run into issues like too much hard drugs, or sanitation issues.

But for now, the worst reportage from the right certainly appears to be mindless hyperbole, at best. Deliberate misinformation at worst.
 
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