Ursula: CHAZ is mostly peaceful, but still needs to end

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan describes it as a street fair atmosphere, but critics call the CHAZ a form of “domestic terrorism.” Gee and I decided to spend some time at the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone on Thursday to find out for ourselves.

Our main takeaways? CHAZ is mostly peaceful. We heard passionate speeches, encountered generous people offering free food and drinks, and saw people of all ages wanting to listen and learn.

But we also saw how quickly the mood could change. When a business owner drove past the barricade, she was immediately swarmed by a group of men who feared she wanted to hurt the protesters.

We also saw a scuffle erupt when a woman began speaking to the crowd and one of the leaders thought she was going to co-opt their message. He grabbed the bullhorn, trying to wrestle it away before they were separated.

Gee and I also listened in as Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins and a representative from Seattle’s Transportation Department met with members of the Black Collective and tried to negotiate a peaceful end to the CHAZ, or at least some kind of compromise. The discussion didn’t last long because those speaking were making irrational demands. They want police to stay out of the East Precinct and they’re not willing to reduce the size of their footprint on Capitol Hill.

It’s not clear who’s in charge at CHAZ but the “Collective Black Voices” has released this list of demands and it’s outrageous.

The CHAZ is unsustainable and to resolve this is going to require leadership. I believe that starts with Mayor Durkan who told CNN’S Chris Cuomo that President Trump doesn’t need to send in the troops to clear the streets. She says this could be the “summer of love” in Seattle. If it lasts that long, we’re in serious trouble.

Chief Best: SPD’s East Precinct standing empty ‘presents a real problem’

The protests following George Floyd’s death have been challenging for mayors across the country, but especially so for Durkan. It’s clear that she needs to get advice from people beyond her small circle, come up with a plan that has an end game, communicate it openly and with true transparency, and empower others to help reach the end goal. That means allowing Police Chief Carmen Best to do her job, which is hard enough, but even more complicated when she’s handcuffed by the mayor.

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