Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone
The Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ), also known as Free Capitol Hill or later the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP), was a self-described autonomous zone that existed in Seattle, Washington, United States during mid-2020 in the context of the George Floyd protests.[1]
Occupying several city blocks, the short-lived autonomous zone was comprised of a mixture of liberal reformist and anarchist voices. The zone prohibited police and other state actors from directly interfering with the community and to promoted communal amenities and mutual aid,[2] along with organizing a form of direct democracy.[3] However, the demands of the occupants of the autonomous zone later started to grow more moderate.
On July 1, 2020, the Mayor of Seattle issued an executive order which declared the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone to be unlawful and the city police quickly disbanded the zone by force without significant resistance.[4]
Organization
Goals and intentions
On June 9, the autonomous zone publicized a list of demands which included prohibiting police from using lethal weapons followed by their eventual complete dissolution, reparations for victims of police brutality, and amnesty for protestors. In other areas, they demanded the introduction of rent control, free higher education, abolition of evictions, and the creation of a "decentralized election process" to allow less economically affluent people to hold office.[5][6]
See also
References
- ↑ Hallie Golden (June 11 2020). "Seattle protesters take over city blocks to create police-free 'autonomous zone'". The Guardian.
- ↑ Shane Burley (June 23, 2020). "Life and Times at the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ/CHOP)". Rosa Negra Anarchist Federation. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ↑ Rosette Royale (June 19, 2020). "Seattle’s Autonomous Zone Is Not What You’ve Been Told". RollingStone. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ↑ "(UPDATED) Mayor Durkan Issues Executive Order Regarding Capitol Hill Protest Zone" (July 1, 2020). Seattle Police Department. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ↑ FreeCapitolHill (June 9, 2020). "THE DEMANDS OF THE COLLECTIVE BLACK VOICES AT FREE CAPITOL HILL TO THE GOVERNMENT OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON". Medium. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ↑ Mikael Thalen (Jun 10, 2020). "Seattle’s ‘Autonomous Zone’ releases list of demands". DaliyDot. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
