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On Thursday, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan defended the "autonomous zone" that protestors have recently created in an area of the city's Capitol Hill, calling it "patriotic." Protestors took over a six-block perimeter around the East Precinct and have been clashing in this 'Capitol Hill autonomous zone' for the last two weeks, following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
“Unfortunately, our President wants to tell a story about domestic terrorists who have a radical agenda and are promoting a conspiracy that fits his law-and-order initiatives,” Durkan told Patch.
Her comments come after President Donald Trump tweeted his concerns for Seattle, threatening to send in federal assistance to shut down the protestors if needed.
“It’s simply not true," Durkan said. "Lawfully gathering and expressing First Amendment rights, demanding we do better as a society, and providing true equity for communities of color is not terrorism. It’s patriotism.”
Durkan added that the activists occupying the zone were "not an armed Antifa militia," and that there have been "no serious incidents" reported from the area since protesting began.
“We will make sure we find some way for people to continue to protest peacefully,” she said.
Durkan has yet to create a specific plan on how to deal with the autonomous zone.
Read the full story on the New York Post.