Members of ANTIFA, a far-left anarchist group declared an area of Seattle an “autonomous zone” this week free of police and other individuals. The group set up barricades and stationed armed guards at checkpoints checking ID’s of people entering the zone for security reasons, frisking them and in some cases taking money from them.
The 6-block area in downtown Seattle which includes Seattle’s East Precinct police station, was completed vacated by security personnel when the protesters moved in.
The “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” or “CHAZ” as it’s known, released a list of demands from Seattle and the Washington State governments. The list includes abolishing the Seattle Police Department, restoration of funding for arts programs in Seattle and free college in Washington State.
CHAZ has declared local rapper Raz Simone its first leader.