PORTLAND, OR – While the city of Portland may be notorious for hosting numerous displays by the likes of Antifa over the past several years, even their police force wasn’t going to have an “autonomous zone” established by the likes of anarchists in the city.
Police in Portland, Oregon, quickly tore down a barrier erected by protesters intent on setting up a Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ). https://t.co/g3g066MQyn
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) June 19, 2020
One of the many problems with the existence of CHAZ/CHOP in Seattle is that it has inspired copy-cats to try and emulate the same scenario playing out in Washington state.
However, since Seattle is a shining example of what can happen when lawlessness is unchecked, other cities are stomping out the proverbial fire before the flames spread.
Portland’s attempted iteration of CHAZ was beginning to get sectioned off during the early morning hours of June 18th, with people establishing blockades in an area that was believed to be outside of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s apartment.
Yet, by 5:30 a.m. that same morning, the Portland Police declared the gathering and blockade enacted by those attempting to recreate Seattle’s CHAZ as a civil disturbance and unlawful assembly.
PPB is declaring a civil disturbance and unlawful assembly from NW 11th east to NW Park Ave and NW Irving south to NW Everett St. If you do not live inside a dwelling in this area, leave immediately to the west. If you do not leave you are subject to arrest or use of force.
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 18, 2020
Minutes after announcing that the unlawful assembly, the Portland Police released the following notice on Twitter:
“The area of NW 11th east to NW Park Avenue and NW Irving south to NW Everett Street is closed. We are requesting Portland residents in this area stay inside their residence and shelter in place.”
That notice was then followed shortly after with a warning to those still illegally occupying the area that they will get arrested:
“Officers are clearing the closed area. Arrests are being made. Leave the area immediately or you are subject to arrest or force. Residents in the area shelter in place.”
Officers are clearing the closed area. Arrests are being made. Leave the area immediately or you are subject to arrest or force. Residents in the area shelter in place.
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 18, 2020
Then video was captured during the moments when police began tearing down the barricades that were erected by the group inside the failed attempt at an “autonomous zone.” The likes of pallets adorned with signage were cast aside by officers, where there was seemingly no presence of Antifa-esque opposition.
Playtime over: Portland autonomous zone is no more
pic.twitter.com/Yzvv8fkINM— ELIJAH SCHAFFER (@ElijahSchaffer) June 18, 2020
After the relatively quick response by police to the attempted occupation of a portion of Portland, many online commended the decimation. Of these comments praising police action taken, it has unearthed a relatively funny nickname for CHAZ and its attempted clones: “Soymalia.”
And it only took a few hours
— DPV (@Anarchos547) June 18, 2020
Perhaps Seattle should take note on how to handle situations like the above.
Looking at the scenario that is CHAZ/CHOP in Seattle shows good and well what happens when things get left unchecked for too long.
Inhabitants and supporters of the CHAZ/CHOP area in Seattle constantly claim that they’re not rioters or engaged in violence, but time and again they manage to convey something completely different when on camera.
On June 8th, a Fox affiliate news crew based out of Seattle ventured to the once-dubbed “autonomous zone” to engage in reporting. Instead, the crew was met with harassment and assault from the inhabitants – which was all caught on camera.
Fox 13 reporter Brandi Kruse posted the unedited video to Facebook on June 17th, where cameras captured her in the mere attempt to report on the sectioned-off six block area of Seattle while being surrounded by a group of “peaceful” protesters.
Kruse captioned the video posted with the following:
“I hope you will watch every minute so you can feel the fear we felt. So you can hear my tears at the end. This video was taken Monday, June 8, the night Seattle left the East Police Precinct to protesters.”
Kruse’s caption continued on the video, capping it off with the following:
“Our crew was targeted, stalked, harassed, and assaulted. The level of vitriol from one member of the mob, who claimed she was a ‘social worker,’ was like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
“When elected leaders lump this type of behavior into what they’re calling ‘peaceful,’ not only is it a lie, but it’s deeply offensive to those who have been subjected to it. I hope this video is spread widely. Seattle needs to do better.”
The display was nothing short of a complete picture of what the CHAZ/CHOP movement represents: bigotry. The crowd surrounded a woman simply trying to do her job, using a means of intimidation and instances where Kruse noted that she was being shoved.
Overall, despite whatever positive spin media is trying to afford the “autonomous zone,” it’s clearly not a positive place. It is evidently rife with mob rule, copious amounts of vandalism, and an obvious show of those deemed “unwanted” will be forcibly removed.
For a group complaining about the likes of police brutality, they’re hardly a box full of kittens themselves.
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