Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone
Sorry if this has already been mentioned.
But, what the ****?
Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone: You Are Now Leaving the U.S.A.
source/
‘Welcome to Free Capitol Hill’ — Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone forms around emptied East Precinct
The first night in the so-called Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone that has formed in the wake of police giving up the week-long blockade of the East Precinct was rainy and peaceful and full of speeches from activists, agitators, poets, and socialist city council members.
“I guess whatever the **** we’re doing is effective,” one organizer identified as Magik said over a megaphone early in the night as police were still clearing the area. “They are going to move up. They are going to get everybody out of here and we are free to move through these streets and protest and march.”
“Yesterday we were on 11th and Pine. Today we have victory on 12th and Pine. They tried to stop us!,” another exclaimed.
The night brought tense moments but compared to the previous week of blast balls and clouds of gas and pepper spray, Pike/Pine was calm if not quiet — the county sheriff’s helicopter stayed circling overhead until midnight providing observations to SPD command on the ground and often drowning out speeches below. The only major reported conflict came when a TV news crew for the local Fox affiliate was temporarily chased from the scene and took up refuge in the nearby fire station.
The surprise pullback of SPD riot police and National Guard troops came together quickly Monday afternoon after a day of hastily clearing out equipment, moving trucks, and reports of a “mobile shredding unit” at the building at 12th and Pine that is home to the East Precinct headquarters as well as department office facilities. “The decision has been made to allow demonstrators to march past the East Precinct later today,” an announcement sent to department staff about the decision to close the building read. “Additional measures are currently underway to enhance our ongoing efforts to insure the security of our East Precinct and provide for the safety of all our officers.”
/source
The NY Times, unsurprisingly, put out a piece lauding this example of anarcho-communist insurgency: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/seattle-autonomous-zone.html
However, within this self-proclaimed autonomous territory, things are not the utopia they're being presented as. A suspected gang leader (amusingly named Raz) has become the de-facto warlord of the area:
https://twitter.com/heckyessica/status/1270881740547076097
https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1270913390249013248
In his own words: "I’m not a Terrorist Warlord. Quit spreading that false narrative. 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."
"We have been peaceful and nothing else," says the man caught on camera being violent. What a shitshow. This is how these things will always turn out.
So what the **** is going on? Is this a terrifying glimpse into the future of America, or is it just a blip on the radar that will go away soon? Do you agree with their beliefs or tactics, or do you disagree with them? Should the military be mobilised to restore order, or should they be left to their own devices?