Signs calling for the dissolution of the Seattle police, a barricaded police station, an autonomous zone … We are far from the violent demonstrations of 1999, against the meeting of the WTO. However, it was enough for Donald Trump, who claimed to be "the president of law and order", to accuse elected officials in Seattle, Washington, of having abandoned the city at of"Awful anarchists" and "Domestic terrorists" against a background of demonstrations against police violence.
In a series of Tweet, he insulted the mayor and the governor: "Take back our city NOW. If you don't, I will ”, President Trump wrote Wednesday evening on Twitter, directly addressing Washington State Governor Jay Inslee and Seattle Democratic Mayor Jenny Durkan. "This is not a game. These awful anarchists must be stopped IMMEDIATELY. ACT QUICKLY! "added the president.
Radical Left Governor @JayInslee and the Mayor of Seattle are being taunted and played at a level that our great Co… https://t.co/TLdBz8YPQv
"Interior terrorists have taken Seattle, a city ruled by radical left democrats, of course. LAW & ORDER! "he wrote later in another post, in the same authoritarian tone he has adopted since the mass protests over the deaths of George Floyd and other black people arrested by police.
Domestic Terrorists have taken over Seattle, run by Radical Left Democrats, of course. LAW & ORDER!
Jay Inslee replied with a mocking message mocking the president's shells in his Tweet, which has since been corrected. Jenny Durkan spoke out at a press conference on Thursday "Threatens to invade Seattle", launched by President Trump, assuring that the majority of protests in his city were peaceful and advised the President to return to his shelter, under the White House.
Make us all safe. Go back to your bunker. #BlackLivesMatter https://t.co/H3TXduhlY4
A closed police station
Donald Trump did not explicitly refer to the "Capitol Hill Autonomous Area" proclaimed this week by protesters, but his Tweeters soon followed the broadcast of a report on the subject by Fox News, widely followed by the conservative president. The report thus described "The total take of an area of seven blocks in a neighborhood in Seattle", claiming that armed demonstrators were patrolling the area.
Protesters have effectively taken over the streets surrounding a police station temporarily vacated by the police, but no incident has been reported in this area, where the atmosphere fluctuates between block party and protest movements.
In these traffic-blocked streets, families with children strolled Thursday afternoon, surrounded by volunteers offering free medical care, as well as food and drink donated by local businesses.
However, the police are not welcome at the party. Two of them, in vain, tried to cross the barriers blocking traffic but had to give it up under the boos of demonstrators refusing them entry into this "Autonomous area".
Seattle police said they were still responding to perimeter emergency calls but were concerned about the presence of armed individuals at certain checkpoints, while recognizing their legal right to apparently carry a weapon in this state.
At the heart of the controversy, a "Autonomous area" self-proclaimed that has been organized for a few days around a police station temporarily closed after sometimes violent demonstrations. Seattle police chief Carmen Best deplored the decision, accusing the municipality of having "Yielded to strong public pressure" in a video for these police officers.
