Washington Gov. Jay Inslee was stumped Wednesday afternoon when a reporter asked him at an online press conference about the takeover of part of downtown Seattle by radical leftists: “That’s news to me,” he said, laughing.
As Breitbart News and several other sources reported Tuesday, radicals associated with the Antifa organization took over several city blocks and began erecting barricades. Police had abandoned the area, and reporters were chased away.
The area is called the Seattle Autonomous Zone (SAZ) or the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ), and is developing its own rules within the city and the state:
#CHAZ Town Hall Meeting – Residents are listening to speakers before starting breakout sessions to further define the rules, policies, laws of the zone. Several hundred people present. Peaceful gathering. Watch live https://t.co/CgP3BB7klS pic.twitter.com/Kpiq8cnZWw
— Omari Salisbury (@Omarisal) June 10, 2020
The radicals are protesting in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, but took their demands even further, and are attempting to establish an anarchist region within the city, claiming to have “liberated” Capitol Hill.
A reporter asked about it during Inslee’s press conference:
Q: Governor, I’d like to ask you about what’s going on in Seattle. There’s this thing called the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone. What’s your thought on that — the fact that the protesters have taken that over, and not allowing people to come and go freely? …
A: Well, that’s news to me. So I’ll have to reserve any comment about it. I have not heard anything about that from any credible source. [Laughs] Not that you’re not credible, it’s just that I — before I espouse an opinion, I should know of which I speak. [Laughs]
There were reports that a man named Raz Simone had taken effective control of the occupied area, with an armed gang:
1. Antifa take over an area of Seattle.
2. No police presence.
3. Within 24 hours, a man called Raz Simone declares himself "The Police".
4. Raz is now armed, with a gang and goes about beating up Antifa and BLM.
5. Antifa don't know what to do.Un-fucking-believable. https://t.co/OtZWWFbPRX
— Mike Zuckerberg (@School_Project) June 10, 2020
On Wednesday evening, President Donald Trump weighed in, demanding: “Take back your city NOW.”
Radical Left Governor @JayInslee and the Mayor of Seattle are being taunted and played at a level that our great Country has never seen before. Take back your city NOW. If you don’t do it, I will. This is not a game. These ugly Anarchists must be stooped IMMEDIATELY. MOVE FAST!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2020
Domestic Terrorists have taken over Seattle, run by Radical Left Democrats, of course. LAW & ORDER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2020
The occupiers are demanding the abolition of police, free health care, and amnesty for illegal aliens, among other priorities.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). His new book, RED NOVEMBER, is available for pre-order. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
Photo: file
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