Seattle Police, Protesters Brace for Violence as Mayor (Durkan) Orders CHOP Cleared

Newsweak ^ | 6/23/20 | Jenni Fink, Naveed Jamali

[Libloather]

Some Seattle police officers are concerned that disbanding the autonomous zone being occupied by protesters could turn violent. Since officers can't use pepper spray or tear gas to force people to disperse, some officers say their only course of action could be batons and firearms.

Two weeks after protesters cordoned off and occupied parts of Capitol Hill, now named the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP), Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced on Monday it would be disbanded. Officials didn't share a specific timeline for clearing the area and Durkan said the goal is to have people leave voluntarily.

But a Seattle police officer who spoke to Newsweek on the condition of anonymity, said protesters don't have to listen to law enforcement. The officer expected protesters won't be keen on vacating the area, potentially leaving officers with one option: to use force.

"We're no longer allowed to use things like tear gas and pepper spray. The only thing that we can use is our sidearms or our batons," the officer said. "...And we lose if we use force, it's gonna look ugly."

[Libloather]

Water cannons. Lots and lots of water cannons.

[dfwgator]

Maybe she can get Wilson Goode to advise her.

[left that other site]

Well water cannons do have the added advantage of cleansing the streets of effluvia at the same time as dispersing the crowds.

[rigelkentaurus]

And turning off the electricity and water somehow is not working? Arresting those existing and preventing anyone from re-entering is also not working?

[ifinnegan]

Ha ha.

Summer of Love.

[central_va]

Send in the scoops!

[Fungi]

Cut off water and power, cut off cell sites, surround the perimeter, and wait.

[devane617]

KOMO TV said the protestors moved out last night...This sounds like old news. As far as I see the city is cleaning up the garbage.

[AlaskaErik]

"We're no longer allowed to use things like tear gas and pepper spray. The only thing that we can use is our sidearms or our batons," the officer said. "...And we lose if we use force, it's gonna look ugly."

I smell a setup.

[windsorknot]

Clean up on Aisle CHOP.

[cgbg]

Send the Soylent Green to the hungry folks in North Korea.

That would let the CHAZ folks prove their solidarity with the revolutionary masses.

[Starboard]

What the Vegas line on this I wonder?

[cymbeline]

“Well water cannons do have the added advantage of cleansing the streets ...”

Hmm. Wonder if they’re converted street washers. Maybe you pop off that police-looking cover and they become street washers.

[AppyPappy]

I would love to have live video of this

[Disambiguator]

Since officers can't use pepper spray or tear gas to force people to disperse, some officers say their only course of action could be batons and firearms.

What genius came up with these rules of engagement?

[left that other site]

That’s a thought! If they have regular peacetime usage, perhaps there are a LOT of them.

[hanamizu]

Water cannons.

---

I’m pretty sure that spraying water will trigger memories of fire hoses in Selma. So they can’t be used.

[goodnesswins]

Turning off services may affect a lot of neighborhood, maybe?

[ExSES]

Some Seattle police officers are concerned that disbanding the autonomous zone being occupied by protesters could turn violent.

This comment should be attributed to "Captain Obvious"!

[The Antiyuppie]

No matter what is done, there will be risk. Just wall it off, leave one door, and wait.