What Seattle’s Autonomous Zone Represents

FEATURING KSHAMA SAWANT – President Trump has demanded that the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone in Seattle, Washington be cleared away by local and state authorities. The area, dubbed CHAZ, is a multi-block region of the city that was taken over by those protesting police brutality, after Seattle police abandoned their precinct building. The occupied space is functioning as a unique community with an altar to those who have been killed by police, free food distribution, poetry readings, and more.

Meanwhile Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, who pushed back at Trump’s demand to crackdown on the CHAZ saying, go back to your bunker,” is facing her own set of problems. City Council member Kshama Sawant has called on Durkan to resign over her handling of police violence against protesters.

Kshama Sawant, a member of Seattle’s City Council and the first socialist to be elected to that body. She is affiliated with the Socialist Alternative party and has led the fight to hold Amazon accountable. She has also called for Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan’s resignation.