Seattle police have cleared the so-called “free zone”, occupied by anti-racist protesters in the East Precinct in the city center three weeks ago, after protests over thekilling of George Floyd. There had been numerous shootings in the area and the occupied area had become a battleground between the progressive line of the local administration, softer towards the demonstrators, and that of the President of the United States Donald Trump, who demanded harsher measures.
On Wednesday, July 1, riot police with heavy pieces cleared the occupied area of Capitol Hill without finding much opposition, removing the barricades and regaining possession of the police station that had been abandoned a few weeks ago. Police chief Carmen Best said, “Our job is to support peaceful demonstrations, but what has happened in recent weeks is the absence of the law, brutality, and simply an unacceptable situation.”
Last June 23, city mayor Jenny Durkan had said that the time had come to regain control of the police stationbut had made it clear that the police would return to their posts “peacefully and gradually”. Durkan’s decision came after three people had been killed and there had been several shootings on the borders of the occupied area. Police chief Carmen Best he had declared that his agents had been attacked by a “hostile crowd” as they tried to get emergency health workers to arrive to help the victims.
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