President Trump, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, and Washington State Governor Jay Inslee continued their Twitter argument about protestors on Thursday.
What we know:
- In a series of tweets between President Trump, Mayor Durkan, and Governor Inslee, the president threatened to intervene in Seattle.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1271142274416562176
A man who is totally incapable of governing should stay out of Washington state’s business. “Stoop” tweeting. https://t.co/O6i04qmZ9v
— Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) June 11, 2020
Make us all safe. Go back to your bunker. #BlackLivesMatter https://t.co/H3TXduhlY4
— Jenny Durkan (@MayorJenny) June 11, 2020
- These tweets come in response to Seattle protestors establishing the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone on Monday. A group of protestors cornered off several city blocks after Seattle police surrendered the East precinct in Capitol Hill. The Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, or CHAZ, is a sort of haven where protestors can demonstrate without police retaliation.
- President Trump painted CHAZ as a picture of lawlessness, disorder, and danger, and labeled the protest group as “Domestic Terrorists”. Mayor Durkan accused Trump of spreading misinformation to fit his narrative. She responded by saying CHAZ has been nothing but peaceful, with people distributing free food, sharing art, and screening movies.
- There were rumors of business owners within CHAZ being harmed and forced to pay a fee to operate. These rumors were debunked, with the Seattle Times reporting that there are no reports of extortion and some restaurant owners benefit from the increased foot traffic.
- President Trump has said he is willing to use military force on protestors and encourages governors to deploy the National Guard. Governor Inslee and Mayor Durkan warned the president to stay away from the state, saying that it is “unconstitutional and illegal to send the military to Seattle”.
Mayor Durkan stated that she believes Seattle PD can lead the nation when it comes to police reform. SPD plans to return to the East Precinct, but there is no timeline in place.
