Protesters at Seattle’s “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone,” or CHOP, blocked city transportation workers, preventing them from removing the protest zone’s barricades.
A crew of workers showed up to the CHOP zone Friday but was stopped by a protester who laid on the ground in front of their equipment. Others joined in, laying on the ground as well as on top of concrete barriers, according to KOMO News.
Protesters have begun leaving the area in droves, and only a few dozen remain. At night, violence has prevailed. Several shootings have taken place in recent days. Because of the concrete barriers around the zone, first responders have been unable to respond properly to emergency calls within it.
A Twitter account claiming to be the “official account” for the CHOP announced Wednesday that “the CHOP project is now concluded.” The post also encouraged fellow “Comrades in the struggle” to participate in “virtual activism.”
The CHOP zone was established earlier this month in reaction to the death of George Floyd. Floyd, a black man, died late last month in police custody. A white officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes, despite Floyd’s insistence that he couldn’t breathe. His death sparked protests nationwide.
Dozens of Seattle businesses are suing the city over its handling of the “autonomous zone.”
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan initially voiced support for the occupation but has since decided that the demonstration should come to an end in light of the violence that is now taking place there. Stephanie Formas, Durkan’s chief of staff, confirmed that the barriers would not be forcibly removed.
