U.S.|‘Take Back Your City’ From Protesters, Trump Tells Seattle Mayor
The president tweeted that Mayor Jenny Durkan and Gov. Jay Inslee were being taunted by protesters. Some demonstrators have used barricades to occupy several city blocks.
SEATTLE — President Trump renewed his threat to take federal action against local protesters in a late-night tweet on Wednesday, telling government officials in Washington State that they needed to crack down on demonstrators in Seattle.
Mr. Trump said protesters were taunting government leaders, apparently referring to a group that has set up barricades to occupy territory in several blocks of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.
“Take back your city NOW,” Mr. Trump wrote in a tweet directed at Mayor Jenny Durkan and Gov. Jay Inslee. “If you don’t do it, I will. This is not a game.”
The president added, “Domestic Terrorists have taken over Seattle, run by Radical Left Democrats, of course. LAW & ORDER!”
Ms. Durkan responded with a tweet of her own: “Make us all safe. Go back to your bunker.”
Later, Mr. Inslee also had a response on Twitter: “A man who is totally incapable of governing should stay out of Washington state’s business,” he wrote. “‘Stoop’ tweeting.”
Police officers and protesters had repeatedly clashed next to the Capitol Hill police station in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd, whose death in Minneapolis police custody sparked nationwide protests. Police officials decided to abandon the station on Monday, boarding it up and allowing protesters to demonstrate in the area without a police presence.
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At gatherings on Wednesday, protesters held discussions about their priorities, listening to speeches and poetry while children drew with chalk on the street. There was no violence or looting, and the city’s fire chief wandered around the area talking with protesters about their needs and a collaborative path forward.
Mr. Trump had previously discussed deploying active-duty troops to quell the protests in American cities, which experts said would require invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807. That led to blowback from former military leaders who warned that such action could cause the military to lose credibility with Americans.
