President Donald Trump slammed Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, who described the city takeover as a "summer of love", calling on her to take action.
Seattle Mayor says, about the anarchists takeover of her city, “it is a Summer of Love”. These Liberal Dems don’t have a clue. The terrorists burn and pillage our cities, and they think it is just wonderful, even the death. Must end this Seattle takeover now!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2020
In an interview on CNN on Thursday, Chris Cuomo asked Durkan about how long the so-called "autonomous zone" established by protesters on Capitol Hill could remain. "I don't know", she replied. "We could have the summer of love."
CUOMO: “How long do you think Seattle in those few blocks looks like this?”
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 12, 2020
DURKAN: “I don't know. We could have the summer of love.”pic.twitter.com/rv2YbiLDYL
Earlier in the day, Trump called for more toughness from Seatlle authorities, adding that "if they don't straighten that situation out, we're going to straighten it out". Trump has repeatedly accused Washington state Governor Jay Inslee and Seattle Mayor Durkan of surrendering the city to the protesters and threatened to take action.
Meanwhile, the situation in the "CHAZ" has been tense lately, as some officers tried to enter the police station in the so-called "Cops Free Zone", according to footage shared online.
Tensions are high in the CHAZ after some officers came in to enter the East Precinct. Some in the crowd wanted to make sure nothing happened to the officers. Others wanted to prevent the officers from entering the zone. Arguments are breaking out amongst the crowd. pic.twitter.com/uKYLrUEycl
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) June 11, 2020
Police have also reported about citizens and businesses being asked to pay a fee to operate in the "CHAZ", while other residents said "armed guards" asked to see their IDs to enter their homes in the area, according to Fox News.
Contrary to the president, for Mayor Durkan, establishing the "autonomous zone" was an act of "patriotism" and a "desire to build a better world", she tweeted on Friday, adding that Trump was "wrong again".
The Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone #CHAZ is not a lawless wasteland of anarchist insurrection - it is a peaceful expression of our community's collective grief and their desire to build a better world. Given his track record, it's not hard to believe that Trump is wrong, yet again.
— Mayor Jenny Durkan (@MayorJenny) June 11, 2020