Inside the CHOP
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n the wake of the George Floyd killing, demonstrations sprung up around the world. The one in Seattle was different.
Protestors for Black Lives Matter and other groups forced Seattle police, fire and emergency services out of a six block area in a neighborhood called Capitol Hill. For nearly a month, those services did not return.
What follows is a chilling look at what it was like living inside the CHOP—the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest—during the time of self-rule.
This report by journalist Linda Byron and videographer Randy Eng originally aired on public TV station KBTC in Tacoma:
The standoff has moved to City Hall. The Seattle City Councilwoman representing Capitol Hill is Kshama Sawant, a member of the Socialist Alternative party. During the protests, she led a march to the home of Mayor Jenny Durkin, whose address is protected by law due to her previous role as U.S. Attorney for western Washington.
Sawant also used her personal key card to open the doors of City Hall to hundreds of protestors, despite an executive order shutting all city government offices due to the coronavirus.
A recall move against Sawant has been mounted by citizens in her district. A judge has ruled the recall may move forward.
The city council voted to approve city funds to pay for Sawant’s defense.
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