MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Trump threatens to intervene in Seattle, Inslee and Durkan respond

Jun 11, 2020, 5:31 AM | Updated: 11:13 am

Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, Trump...

Crowds gathered outside the East Precinct in Seattle. (Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

As crowds continue to occupy the area around Seattle’s East Precinct on Capitol Hill, President Trump took to Twitter Wednesday night, threatening to take action to end the ongoing protest himself.

A look inside Seattle’s newly-formed ‘Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone’

“Radical Left Governor (Jay Inslee) and the Mayor of Seattle are being taunted and played at a level that our great Country has never seen before,” Trump said. “Take back your city NOW. If you don’t do it, I will. This is not a game. These ugly Anarchists must be stooped[sic] IMMEDIATELY.”

Reports from inside what’s now become known as the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone have largely described it as peaceful. On Tuesday, KIRO Radio’s Hanna Scott said the mood inside was similar to a “street fair.”

KOMO TV’s Cole Miller echoed that sentiment Wednesday evening, describing how the “CHAZ” now has a small library, a coffee stand, and a hot dog vendor. For the second night in a row Wednesday, a movie was played for residents on a projector screen.

The crowd stationed at 12th and Pine is trying to prove it can operate on its own without the police after SPD left the East Precinct.

“Their position is that they can take care of themselves,” Hanna said Tuesday.

Before Trump’s tweets were sent, Inslee was asked about the newly-formed Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, claiming he had “not heard anything about that.”

Police claim Seattle demonstrators running checkpoints at CHAZ

Gov. Inslee and Mayor Jenny Durkan both responded to Trump later on in the night Wednesday.

“A man who is totally incapable of governing should stay out of Washington state’s business,” Inslee said from his personal account. “‘Stoop’ tweeting.”

“Make us all safe. Go back to your bunker,” Durkan said.

Also responding Thursday was Washington Sen. Patty Murray, who accused the President of trying “to distract everyone from the pandemic he’s ignoring and the tens of millions of people who are out of work.”

“You’re not fooling anyone,” Murray said.

Trump lashed out on Twitter again on Thursday morning, this time calling on Joe Biden to “tell his Radical Left BOSSES that they are heading in the wrong direction,” and that they should “get out of Seattle now.”

“Liberal Governor (Jay Inslee) is looking ‘the fool,'” Trump said, before ending with a frequent cry of his on Twitter in recent weeks for “LAW & ORDER.”

Shortly after 10 a.m., Inslee published a more in-depth response to his official account, stating that he “will not allow … threats of military violence against Washingtonians coming from the White House.”

“The U.S. military serves to protect Americans, not the fragility of an insecure president,” he said. The Trump administration knows what Washington needs right now — the resources to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. If the president wants to show leadership, and that he cares about the people in this state, he should send us the PPE we’ve needed for months.”

It’s unclear what action President Trump plans to take in the days ahead.

MyNorthwest News

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Trump threatens to intervene in Seattle, Inslee and Durkan respond