The post Trump vows no ‘Autonomous Zone’ in DC, after protesters cleared appeared first on Virus Reports.
]]>President Trump vowed Tuesday that what happened in Seattle will not take place in the nation’s capital, and that no such “autonomous” zone” will be established in D.C. after protesters who attempted to set up such a space were cleared out the night before.
Demonstrators on Monday had blocked off an area that they called the “Black House Autonomous Zone,” or “BHAZ.”
SEATTLE WILL MOVE TO DISMANTLE ‘CHOP’ ZONE AFTER SHOOTINGS, MAYOR SAYS
“There will never be an ‘Autonomous Zone’ in Washington, D.C., as long as I’m your President. If they try they will be met with serious force!” Trump tweeted Tuesday morning.
Protesters also had defaced and attempted to tear down a statue of Andrew Jackson near the White House, and the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church, often called the Church of the Presidents, was vandalized with “BHAZ” spray-painted on its pillars.
TRUMP BLASTS ‘WEAK’ STATE LEADERS FOR ALLOWING REMOVAL OF STATUES AND HISTORIC MONUMENTS
The efforts by protesters were similar to those in Seattle who carved out the “Capitol Hill Organized Protest,” or “CHOP,” in the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood more than two weeks ago. City officials announced Monday that steps were being taken to dismantle the cop-free area after a series of shootings and other violence within the area.
“There should be no place in Seattle that the Seattle Fire Department and the Seattle Police Department can’t go,” Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said Monday. Durkan had previously faced criticism for saying that the protests going on in the CHOP area could bring about a “summer of love.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Earlier Tuesday morning, Trump warned protesters who damage federal property that they could be arrested and imprisoned. In a Fox News interview, he criticized state leaders for not being as tough on those who seek the destruction of historical monuments.
“A lot of states are weak. A lot of people are weak and they’re allowing it to happen,” Trump said.
Speaking of those going after monuments of controversial historical figures, Trump also told reporters, “They’re bad people, they don’t love our country.”
Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
The post Trump vows no ‘Autonomous Zone’ in DC, after protesters cleared appeared first on Virus Reports.
]]>The post The ‘Autonomous Zone’ In Seattle Is A Harbinger Of America’s Future If Politicians Don’t Start Working Together appeared first on Virus Reports.
]]>
SEATTLE, WA – JUNE 10: The “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by David … [+] Ryder/Getty Images)
Getty Images
In hindsight, it’s easy to understand the situation we’re in. We’ve been ordered to close down businesses and stay indoors for months. Going to church, school, restaurants, clubs, bars, sporting or music events and in-person, social interactions have been prohibited. What started as a health crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic has turned into an economic crisis, then leading to a job-loss catastrophe, as over 40 million Americans have lost their jobs since the start of the outbreak. Millions of unemployed people are worrying about whether or not they’ll have a job to go back to when things reopen.
The pressure, stress and strain has been simmering. The killing of George Floyd released our collective anger and frustration, not only with police brutality and systemic racism, but with society as a whole—including our inept political leaders. It’s not surprising that we had a powder keg ready to blow.
Seattle, like many cities across the nation, experienced peaceful protests that have been co-opted by people with bad intentions. This has led to violence, destruction of property, looting and heavy-handed police reactions.
In a part of Seattle, police officers have fled and protestors have taken over. Citizens of Seattle have demanded that Mayor Jenny Durkan step down, as they claim she has failed to adequately deal with police brutality. The protestors chanted, “Hey hey, ho ho, Jenny Durkan has got to go!”
Antifa, Black Lives Matters and others wanting to bring about change stormed into Seattle City Hall and took over a swath of surrounding territory. They’ve called it the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ). It was created to serve as a community, commune, self-sustaining, police-free zone. The protesters demanded that the police be abolished and the mayor fired. The governor of Washington state, Jay Inslee, said in a press conference that he’s unaware of what’s happening.
Assistant Police Chief of the Criminal Investigations Bureau Deanna Nollette said, “We have heard anecdotally reports of citizens and businesses being asked to pay a fee to operate within this area.” Nolette added, “There is no legal right for those arms to be used to intimidate community members. This is the crime of extortion.”
The New York Times had a differing perspective reporting, “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.”
In front of a deserted police station, a banner was hung that read, “This space is now property of the Seattle people.” The CHAZ has turned it into a “no-go” zone. The group has its own people patrolling the area. “Warlord” Raz Simone chased out reporters and allegedly assaulted citizen journalists. He also produced a new rap video describing his mission.
President Donald Trump raged against this action and tweeted, “Domestic Terrorists have taken over Seattle, run by Radical Left Democrats, of course. LAW & ORDER!” He also tweeted, “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!”
Durkan responded in a tweet to Trump, “Make us all safe. Go back to your bunker.”
Now, more than ever, our city, state and federal elected officials from both political parties must start openly and honestly speaking with each other. They need to also incorporate business, health and community leaders into the conversation. Otherwise, we are headed down a path of self-destruction.
Amazon will do amazingly well—so will Google, Apple, Netflix, Microsoft and other online giants. Small businesses that were shut down, then destroyed during riots, may never reopen. The continued strife will hurt the economy, which, in turn, is bad for almost all Americans.
With growing unemployment, the consumer, which is the largest contributor to the U.S. economy, won’t have money to spend. Things will get progressively worse. This is not just a social issue; it has a direct negative impact on jobs and the fate of workers.
Unless our leaders put aside their differences and egos, we’ll continue to have unrest, increasing unemployment and the destruction of small businesses. They need to talk and take action before it’s too late. Unfortunately, the middle class and poor will be impacted the most by the lack of leadership from our elected officials.
The post The ‘Autonomous Zone’ In Seattle Is A Harbinger Of America’s Future If Politicians Don’t Start Working Together appeared first on Virus Reports.
]]>The post Seattle ‘autonomous zone’ has armed guards, local businesses being threatened with extortion, police say appeared first on Virus Reports.
]]>Seattle police say they have received reports of armed guards and potential extortion in a self-declared autonomous zone that spans several blocks and includes a now-closed precinct.
“We’ve heard, anecdotally, reports of citizens and businesses being asked to pay a fee to operate within this area. This is the crime of extortion. If anyone has been subjected to this, we need them to call 911,” Assistant Chief of Police Deanna Nollette said on Wednesday.
The seemingly abandoned East Precinct station of the Seattle Police Department is covered in a tarp declaring it ‘property of the Seattle people’. Protesters declared a Cop Free Zone following days of demonstrations in response to the police-involved death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
(Toby Scott/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Protesters calling to defund the police and make sweeping reforms to law enforcement tactics have declared a six-block region — spanning 13th Avenue past 11th Avenue, near Cal Anderson Park, and from East Olive Street to East Pike Street — the “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” (CHAZ).
The region encompasses the SPD’s East Precinct, which was abandoned by cops on Monday following days of violent clashes between law enforcement and protesters in the wake of George Floyd’s death, as well as parts of Capitol Hill.
Officers retreated from the area in an effort to quell the violence– which included multiple shootings, one that was sparked after a man rammed his vehicle into a crowd of protesters. Police officers have deployed tear gas and pepper spray to disperse large groups of people.
“We wanted to be able to facilitate and support peaceful demonstrations,” Nollette said.
Demonstrations within the autonomous zone have been mostly peaceful, with no reports of violence, but police say armed guards have been surrounding the perimeter of the region and residents who live within the boundaries are “forced to show ID to prove you “belong” there,” a law enforcement official told Fox News.
A volunteer works security at an entrance to the so-called “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” on June 10, 2020 in Seattle, Washington.
(Getty)
Speaking on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the unfolding situation, the official told Fox News some people living in the area — which includes numerous bars, restaurants, businesses and private residences — have been “begging for help because they are not being allowed into their homes without ID.”
Police have been told to stay away from the region unless there is a call to 911 for help.
TRUMP BLASTS ‘RADICAL LEFT’ DEMS IN SEATTLE, SAYS ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISTS’ TAKE HOLD OF CITY
The official also added that leaders in the anti-cop zone are “starting to extort money from the local businesses within the border for ‘protection.'”
Mckenzie Diamond, who lives in the “Autonomous Zone,” told Kiro 7 the experience has been “a bit stressful.”
“It’s like checking in with somebody to get into your own home,” Diamond told the news outlet. “Just making it so people can get into their buildings. Keep the zone however they want, and move the fencing so people can go home.”
A sign is seen on a barrier at an entrance to the so-called “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” on June 10, 2020 in Seattle, Washington.
(David Ryder/Getty Images)
“No one at these checkpoints has the legal authority to demand identification from anyone. We ask if anyone is subjected to these demands to call 911 and report the incident,” Nollette said.
“While Washington is an open-carry state, there is no legal right for those arms to be used to intimidate community members,” she told Komo News.
Nollette also added that they are aware of threats to burn down the East Precinct, which she said “would endanger residents, firefighters and businesses.”
The police department is looking to start negotiations with the leaders of the protest movement to gain access to the police precinct but are unsure of who is leading the demonstrations.
“It’s just a matter of establishing this dialogue. We’d love nothing more than to be able to open our precinct buildings,” Nollette said. “What we want to do is give an opportunity for everyone’s tempers to calm, and for us to approach the table with a view towards equality.”
A protester sits out of the window of a car with an American flag as a youth-led protest group walks towards the Seattle Police Department’s West Precinct in Seattle, Washington, U.S. June 10, 2020.
(Reuters)
Supporters of the movement have posted photos on social media depicting a large, but peaceful scene.
Within the blockaded region, occupiers have set up tents, painted murals, and have music playing from speakers throughout the night.
One resident in the area told police that there were “tents lining my streets, barricades littered throughout the intersection by protestors, and civilians walking around with AR15s,” an official told Fox News. “And the noise has not stopped.”
Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, whose firehouse is a few blocks from the region, has been one of the only city officials seen in the area working alongside demonstrators, according to Komo News.
“Well, we got a team, we are working through this and there is some trust built and I don’t want to compromise the trust,” Scoggins told the news outlet.
On Wednesday, President Trump demanded “LAW & ORDER!” in Seattle as the scene unfolded.
“Domestic Terrorists have taken over Seattle, run by Radical Left Democrats, of course,” he said on Twitter.
Trump lambasted Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, urging them to take control of the situation.
“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,” Trump wrote. “This is not a game. These ugly Anarchists must be stooped IMMEDIATELY. MOVE FAST!”
One of the perceived leaders of the movement, Raz Simone, tweeted a response to Trump on Wednesday decrying that he is “not a Terrorist Warlord.”
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
“The President really put a hit on my head. I’m not a Terrorist Warlord. Quit spreading that false narrative,” Simone tweeted. “The world has NEVER been ready for a strong black man. We have been peaceful and nothing else. If I die don’t let it be in vain.”
The post Seattle ‘autonomous zone’ has armed guards, local businesses being threatened with extortion, police say appeared first on Virus Reports.
]]>