A socialist Seattle city councilwoman has pointed the blame on capitalism for this week’s fatal shooting of a teenager at the city’s Capitol Hill Organized Protest zone.
Councilwoman Kshama Sawant tweeted this week that the death of a 16-year-old at the CHOP zone “highlights capitalism’s brutality & endemic violence.”
“Deepest condolences from Socialist Alternative and my Council office to the family and friends and fellow activists of the community member who was tragically killed in the drive-by shooting at the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP),” she tweeted Monday.
“While we await details of this tragic killing, it highlights capitalism’s brutality & endemic violence. Our movement rejects insinuations & falsehoods perpetuated by corporate & conservative media that this violence is outcome of CHOP or of our movement,” Sawant, who is a member of the Socialist Alternative political party, said.
While we await details of this tragic killing, it highlights capitalism’s brutality & endemic violence. Our movement rejects insinuations & falsehoods perpetuated by corporate & conservative media that this violence is outcome of CHOP or of our movement.https://t.co/AsbMeUiRgp
— Kshama Sawant (@cmkshama) June 29, 2020
Sawant added, “Capitalism *is* a police state. While we’ll have to fight to win reforms, we have to dismantle capitalism to win a violence-free society.”
We need to continue building a powerful movement to end gentrification, to fully fund public schools & decent jobs.
Capitalism *is* a police state. While we’ll have to fight to win reforms, we have to dismantle capitalism to win a violence-free society.https://t.co/xvAQs67GGn
— Kshama Sawant (@cmkshama) June 29, 2020
The councilwoman also ignited the ire of Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan this week for joining protesters who stood outside Durkan’s house over the weekend.
Dozens of protesters stood outside the mayor’s home on Sunday, demanding the city not to dismantle the autonomous zone and calling for officials to answer demands from CHOP protesters, such as defunding the local police department by at least 50%.
“Mayor Durkan and her family are in the state program to keep their address confidential because of the death threats mostly related to her work as Seattle’s U.S. Attorney under President Obama,” a statement from the mayor’s office read. “Instead of working to make true change, Councilmember Sawant continues to choose political stunts. Tonight, she did so without regard for the safety of the mayor and her family. The mayor was not even home — she was working at City Hall. Seattle can and should peacefully demonstrate but should not put families and children at risk.”
“Seattle has a long tradition of peaceful protest and advocacy for progressive change, and Mayor Durkan strongly supports those rights. Mayor Durkan will continue to listen to leaders in Seattle’s Black community,” the statement added. “She is working hard to translate the calls for change into real, tangible systemic changes to policing and all the other systems needed for strong and healthy communities. She has prioritized these as Mayor, with investments in housing, education, youth opportunity, and economic equity. She proposes investing an additional $100 million into the Black community.”
The CHOP zone was established on June 8 and has seen multiple shootings, two deaths, and reports of sexual assault, vandalism, and theft. City employees attempted to clear parts of the area over the weekend but were met with resistance from the protesters. Seattle police began clearing the area early Wednesday morning and arrested more than a dozen people in the process.
