Trump slams Seattle mayor for describing ‘anarchist takeover’ as ‘summer of love’
President Donald Trump has blasted Seattle’s mayor for describing the city’s ‘autonomous zone’, a few blocks taken over by protesters who chased police out, as a place that could have a “summer of love.”
“Seattle Mayor says, about the anarchists takeover of her city, ‘it is a Summer of Love,’” tweeted the president on Friday.
“These Liberal Dems don’t have a clue. The terrorists burn and pillage our cities, and they think it is just wonderful, even the death. Must end this Seattle takeover now!”
Seattle Mayor says, about the anarchists takeover of her city, “it is a Summer of Love”. These Liberal Dems don’t have a clue. The terrorists burn and pillage our cities, and they think it is just wonderful, even the death. Must end this Seattle takeover now!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2020
Trump’s words came in response to Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan giving a Thursday night interview to CNN in which she played down the threat posed by the police-less area in her city.
“How long do you think Seattle in those few blocks looks like this?” CNN’s Chris Cuomo asked.
“I don't know. We could have the summer of love,” the mayor replied.
CUOMO: “How long do you think Seattle in those few blocks looks like this?”DURKAN: “I don't know. We could have the summer of love.”pic.twitter.com/rv2YbiLDYL
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 12, 2020
Video out of the ‘autonomous zone’, popularly referred to as CHAD, has shown a place patrolled by citizens with rifles, with tensions running high between those occupying it and police officers who attempt to come inside.
Incredible CNN segment. Reporter says how peaceful it is in CHAZ. One of the protesters crashes the shot and tries to organize people to interrupt the report. Reporter then says “no doubt some of these protesters are armed” (contradicting CNN's report): https://t.co/FBiJaGifZRpic.twitter.com/AnQBI0QOm8
— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) June 12, 2020
Tensions are high in the CHAZ after some officers came in to enter the East Precinct. Some in the crowd wanted to make sure nothing happened to the officers. Others wanted to prevent the officers from entering the zone. Arguments are breaking out amongst the crowd. pic.twitter.com/uKYLrUEycl
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) June 11, 2020
The occupiers in the “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” have torn away some of the barricades police left in place at the East Precinct. pic.twitter.com/VR9FcjGDJ8
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) June 11, 2020
Trump and the city’s mayor have been clashing over the area, with the president previously vowing to step in and take over the situation if Durkan did not claim back the set of blocks.
“Take back your city NOW. If you don’t do it, I will. This is not a game,” Trump warned Durkan and Washington Governor Jay Inslee through Twitter.
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 stopped IMMEDIATELY. MOVE FAST!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2020
Durkan said Trump’s threat was “unconstitutional” and described the act of the ‘autonomous zone’ as “not terrorism,” but “patriotism.”
The Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone #CHAZ is not a lawless wasteland of anarchist insurrection - it is a peaceful expression of our community's collective grief and their desire to build a better world. Given his track record, it's not hard to believe that Trump is wrong, yet again.
— Mayor Jenny Durkan (@MayorJenny) June 11, 2020
Seattle’s police chief, Carmen Best, appears to be more in line with the president, saying in a video address on Thursday that abandoning the police department within the ‘autonomous zone’ was “not my decision.” She also blasted city officials for giving into the demonstrators, calling the abandonment of CHAD an “insult” to police and the “community.”
“Our calls for service have more than tripled,” she told reporters about the area, “These are responses to emergency calls – rapes, robberies, and all sorts of violent acts that have been occurring in the area that we’re not able to get to.”
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