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| Police Clear Seattle’s Protest ‘Autonomous Zone’ | Police Clear Seattle’s Protest ‘Autonomous Zone’ |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| SEATTLE — Police officers moved in and cleared an area near downtown Seattle early Wednesday where demonstrators had surrounded a police station and established a “no cop” zone amid national protests over police brutality. | SEATTLE — Police officers moved in and cleared an area near downtown Seattle early Wednesday where demonstrators had surrounded a police station and established a “no cop” zone amid national protests over police brutality. |
| City officials cited a series of violent episodes in their decision to vacate the region, including the deaths of two teenagers amid at least four shootings in a matter of 10 days last month. | City officials cited a series of violent episodes in their decision to vacate the region, including the deaths of two teenagers amid at least four shootings in a matter of 10 days last month. |
| “Black Lives Matter, and I too want to help propel this movement toward meaningful change in our community,” Chief Carmen Best of the Seattle Police Department said in statement. “But enough is enough.” | “Black Lives Matter, and I too want to help propel this movement toward meaningful change in our community,” Chief Carmen Best of the Seattle Police Department said in statement. “But enough is enough.” |
| The order to vacate the area came amid growing tensions over how to handle an area that was cordoned off as a symbolic statement by protesters after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The continuing problems had drawn the attention of President Trump, who blasted Democratic officials in Seattle and Washington State for failing to clear the area earlier. | The order to vacate the area came amid growing tensions over how to handle an area that was cordoned off as a symbolic statement by protesters after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The continuing problems had drawn the attention of President Trump, who blasted Democratic officials in Seattle and Washington State for failing to clear the area earlier. |
| “If they don’t do the job, I’ll do the job,” the president said last month. | “If they don’t do the job, I’ll do the job,” the president said last month. |
| A crowd of police officers pushed through the area just after 5 a.m. Wednesday, some wearing helmets and carrying batons. Officials said the equipment was “not meant to be a pre-emptive show of force” but was necessary because people gathered in the area were known to be armed. | A crowd of police officers pushed through the area just after 5 a.m. Wednesday, some wearing helmets and carrying batons. Officials said the equipment was “not meant to be a pre-emptive show of force” but was necessary because people gathered in the area were known to be armed. |
| “I woke up to everybody screaming and running saying, ‘The cops, the cops, they’re here,’” said Derrek Allen Jones II, who said he had been staying at the zone for several weeks. | “I woke up to everybody screaming and running saying, ‘The cops, the cops, they’re here,’” said Derrek Allen Jones II, who said he had been staying at the zone for several weeks. |
| Officers lined up on the edge of the area as a helicopter whirred overhead. Protesters milled around the intersection, some shouting at the police. A couple of officers engaged in dialogue directly with protesters as others led a man away in handcuffs. One man said he had been hit with pepper spray as officers pushed protesters back to 12th and Pike Street. A woman raised her fist in the air and chanted, “These are our streets.” | Officers lined up on the edge of the area as a helicopter whirred overhead. Protesters milled around the intersection, some shouting at the police. A couple of officers engaged in dialogue directly with protesters as others led a man away in handcuffs. One man said he had been hit with pepper spray as officers pushed protesters back to 12th and Pike Street. A woman raised her fist in the air and chanted, “These are our streets.” |
| Twenty-three people were arrested on charges of failure to disperse, obstruction, resisting arrest and assault, the police department said on Twitter, including a 29-year-old man who had a large metal pipe and a kitchen knife. | Twenty-three people were arrested on charges of failure to disperse, obstruction, resisting arrest and assault, the police department said on Twitter, including a 29-year-old man who had a large metal pipe and a kitchen knife. |
| In remarks to reporters just after 7 a.m., Chief Best said she supported peaceful demonstrations, but said the recent violence in the autonomous zone could not be tolerated. | |
| “Our job is to protect and to serve the community. Our job is to support peaceful demonstrations,” she said. “But what has happened here on these streets over the last two weeks — few weeks, that is — is lawless, and it’s brutal, and bottom line, it is simply unacceptable.” | |
| The city had previously made the unusual decision to abandon a police station in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, board up its windows and let protesters have free rein outside in the wake of demonstrations nationwide over Mr. Floyd’s death in police custody. | The city had previously made the unusual decision to abandon a police station in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, board up its windows and let protesters have free rein outside in the wake of demonstrations nationwide over Mr. Floyd’s death in police custody. |
| Protesters laid claim to several city blocks and put up a banner on the front entrance of the emptied police station reading, “This space is now property of the Seattle people.” | Protesters laid claim to several city blocks and put up a banner on the front entrance of the emptied police station reading, “This space is now property of the Seattle people.” |
| After the police cleared the area on Wednesday morning, officers checked the East Precinct station for “obstacles and other concerns,” Chief Best said, but were not yet operating out of the building. | After the police cleared the area on Wednesday morning, officers checked the East Precinct station for “obstacles and other concerns,” Chief Best said, but were not yet operating out of the building. |
| City workers in yellow and orange vests began removing spray-painted barricades and artwork. Signs reading, “All lives don’t matter until Black lives matter” and “R.I.P. E. Precinct” remained in front of empty tents that lined 12th Avenue. | City workers in yellow and orange vests began removing spray-painted barricades and artwork. Signs reading, “All lives don’t matter until Black lives matter” and “R.I.P. E. Precinct” remained in front of empty tents that lined 12th Avenue. |
| Protesters had been issued warnings to disperse when the police arrived, according to Detective Mark Jamieson. | Protesters had been issued warnings to disperse when the police arrived, according to Detective Mark Jamieson. |
| "There were people that wanted to be arrested,” he said. “We gave multiple orders to disperse and then either people leave or they don’t.” | "There were people that wanted to be arrested,” he said. “We gave multiple orders to disperse and then either people leave or they don’t.” |
| The police also cleared protesters from nearby Cal Anderson Park, he said. | The police also cleared protesters from nearby Cal Anderson Park, he said. |
| City officials had insisted that the police would not allow any area of the city to fall into lawlessness. | City officials had insisted that the police would not allow any area of the city to fall into lawlessness. |
| “There is no cop-free zone in the city of Seattle,” Chief Best said earlier this month. “I think that the picture has been painted in many areas that shows the city is under siege. That is not the case.” | “There is no cop-free zone in the city of Seattle,” Chief Best said earlier this month. “I think that the picture has been painted in many areas that shows the city is under siege. That is not the case.” |
| Rachel Abrams reported from Seattle, and Sarah Mervosh from Canton, Ohio. | Rachel Abrams reported from Seattle, and Sarah Mervosh from Canton, Ohio. |