Judge issues early ruling in CHOP neighbors’ lawsuit, and it doesn’t look good for the city

This afternoon, U.S. District Curt Judge Thomas Zilly issued his first substantive opinion in the lawsuit filed by businesses and residents neighboring the CHOP. The lawsuit alleges that the City of Seattle violated their property rights and denied them equal protection under the law by allowing the CHOP to exist as a lawless area, and in fact supporting its existence. The city had asked the court to dismiss the case entirely, and short of that to deny a class certification for plaintiffs.  Judge Zilly’s ruling on those requests is a mixed bag in terms of what he granted and denied, …

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CHOP: a tragedy of errors, now entering its final act

After a weekend of late-night violence in the CHOP, today Mayor Jenny Durkan and SPD Chief Carmen Best signaled that their hands-off approach to the protest area on Capitol Hill is changing, and “it’s time for people to go home.” It’s been nearly a month since George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer, surrounded by other officers who stood by and did nothing. The ensuing weeks here in Seattle — the protests, the violent police response, the looting and destruction, the abandoning of the East Precinct, and the occupation of a small section in the heart of Capitol …

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Is the city responding to 911 calls in the CHOP?

Last night and this morning, there were various (often conflicting) reports on social media about a possible burglary in the CHOP (formerly known as the CHAZ) area on Capitol Hill that is the site of an ongoing occupation and protest. There has also been conflicting information about whether first-responders have been told not to enter the CHOP if the city receives a 911 call from there. I asked the Mayor’s Office what SPD and SFD have been instructed to do if the city receives a 911 call from the CHOP. Below is their full response.

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