A federal judge temporarily banned Seattle police from using tear gas, pepper spray, and flash-bang devices against peaceful protesters in the city.
The verdict, from District Judge A. Richard Jones, came when the city and state faced increasing pressure from President Trump and from the right to dissolve the so-called Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone.
In short, known as “CHAZ”, an open protest room six blocks was formed late Monday after the Mayor ordered the police to go up and leave their police station in the Capitol Hill neighborhood after days of rioting protesters there.
The area, bounded by makeshift barricades and boards reading, “You are now leaving the United States.”
The atmosphere of the festival has been going on for four days, with protesters dancing, giving speeches, distributing free snacks and showing films at night as they demand the dissolution of the city police forces – a cause inspired by Memorial Day prisoners, George Floyd’s death in prison. Minneapolis.
Trump, however, has called the demonstrators “domestic terrorists” and called on Governor Jay Inslee and Mayor Jenny Durkan to break up the demonstration.
Judge Jones sided with the Black Lives Matter group who sued the Seattle Police Department this week.
Jones said the plaintiff made strong reasons that weapons such as tear gas and pepper spray were unconstitutional because they failed to target “single agitators or criminals.”
Michele Storms, executive director of ACLU Washington, praised the judge’s decision.
“This city must allow freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, and it must discuss police accountability and excessive use of force,” Storms said in a statement.
Last weekend, Seattle officers used tear gas, pepper spray, and other forces against the crowd of protesters who were criticized from the left. Jones’ order banned the action for two weeks.
Both Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best have apologized to residents who were beaten with chemical weapons during a peaceful protest because they both faced calls for their resignation.
Durkan on Friday visited CHAZ and pushed back against Trump’s characterization of the demonstration as an “anarchist takeover.”
“Seattle is fine. Don’t be afraid of democracy, “Durkan tweeted.
“As far as I can remember, Capitol Hill has been autonomous – it has always been a place where people go to express themselves freely,” Durkan wrote in a follow-up tweet.
But Best accuses some protesters of cruelly attacking police and blaming the autonomy zone – and leaving the police station – for hampering police response time.
He said on Friday that the department hoped to regain control of the police station “as soon as possible.”
“People are looking for a plan, but we want to make sure we modulate whatever we do,” Best said.
“We do not want to exacerbate or intensify or incite problems that will cause damage to officers or people who stand aside.”
With Post Wires
