Seattle’s new occupiers recreate the social problems of Seattle inside their cop-free zone

A statement released by Voices of CHOP, one of the official handles for the protest that claims to be “BIPOC and white ally volunteers and activists” proposes new guidelines for the occupied area.

It reads, in part:

"It has been made immensely clear that we need to help our community with drug/alcohol use with the CHOP. We want to discuss the idea of safe use areas near the outskirts of CHOP and different signage (that we are willing to provide) encouraging intoxicated folx to: a) keep safe distance away from CHOP while intoxicated, b) seek help if needed white stating free resources/helplines fr mental health and substance abuse."

The CHOP is becoming a mini version of Seattle itself, facing those same issues the city has, and dealing with them... in the same way the city has. The CHOP mirrors many of Seattle's incessant social problems. Seattle has been coping with open air drug use across the city, trying to come up with solutions. The city has been vilified by its newest occupiers, but they are faring no better in their attempts to mitigate these problems.

Homeless encampments have sprung up near needle exchange sites and clinics. Boxes of hundreds of unused needles have been found when encampments are cleared and used needles litter sidewalks, parks and even cemeteries. As a proposed solutions, Seattle officials set money aside for a mobile injection site even though injection sites in Seattle have faced backlash from community residents and federal officials.

CHOP is proposing safe injection sites as well, and just as with the broader city, they want those spaces to be separate from the rest of the community. CHOP occupiers don't want their good works to be disrupted by drug-addicts who can't control themselves while under the influence. Seattle residents feel the same way.

Cal Anderson Park, which the city recently spent millions of dollars upgrading with a turf field and more is now becoming a growing homeless encampment. Residents camp in tents and exhibit behaviour of inebriation. They have been seen harassing people, defecating in public and stealing from local businesses.

Seattle’s homeless population is the 3rd largest in the united states behind Los Angeles and New York but the highest based on a per capita scale. Theft by this population in the downtown corridor before coronavirus led to many stores permanently closing. The occupiers of CHOP appear to be experiencing the same problems as the retailers downtown

Fights and scuffles inside the CHOP have been attributed to many things ranging from gang violence to drug and alcohol use. CHOP occupiers have proposed a curfew to help deal with it. In their missive, they write:

"The late hours of CHOP tend to give way to some problematic behaviour as well. As such, to help lessen the load of overnight volunteer security, medics, and residents we propose suggested CHOP hours of 8am-8pm. This way organizers, supply tents, education/petition tents, medic stations, and other resources at CHOP can be together when needed to seek community, organize and protests. These suggested hours would hopefully:

"a. Thin out the bodies at CHOP to just those intended for peace keeping and occupy purposes. b. Encourage those protesting and keeping the message alive to REST. Which is important to keeping our community healthy and level headed as well."

This will not be intended to stop marches and outside events/efforts outside of these hours but it will, hopefully, encourage CHOP to stop being a chaotic, immobile zone in the late/early morning hours.

Now that police are gone, and Seattle leadership has basically abandoned the area, CHOP occupiers are finding that they are still plagued by the social ills of violence, drug-addiction, and other anti-social behaviours. This despite the fact that they have formed this new occupied zone with the intention of curing those social problems that have plagued American metropolises since oh, the beginning of time perhaps.

Over the weekend, there were two shootings in the CHOP. Shortly after the shooting early Sunday morning which left 1 dead and another injured CHOP released a statement to KOMO News and other outlets saying that the individuals involved in the shooting may have had previous history and that it seemed to escalated because of "gang affiliations".

Video taken moments before the shooting show a fight in the CHOP which witnesses say may have been what led to the deadly showing which left a 19 year old dead.

Yet, despite video evidence to the contrary, many assumed that these bad actors were committing acts of violence in service to a white supremacist ideology. These speculations on social media had nothing to back it up other than a steadfast belief that without police and democratic representation the social ills would disappear and criminal activity would stop altogether.

Activists who support the CHOP downplay the violence in the zone. According to David Preston from Safe Seattle “They feel justified in threatening us when we make a true statement about violence at the camp and it makes readers mad, but they take no responsibility when they've stirred their people up with an inflammatory statement and it turns out to be false.”

While activists give cover to criminals and push a false narrative, the real perpetrators are still at large and violence is growing. There are multiple videos every night of violence in the CHOP among the different groups in the occupation with clearly visible facial features and are often posted from the social media of the perpetrators themselves. Last night was another shooting in the CHOP. Witnesses describe a possible drive by shooting.