United States President Donald Trump issued threats to the Seattle administration asking the authorities to take back the city from protesters. "If you don't I will (take the city back in control)," Trump said in his late-night Wednesday tweet, hinting at deploying federal forces in the city.
The tweet comes after hundreds of protesters seized a six-block downtown zone including a police precinct. Protesters were demanding the resignation of Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan as she refused to defund the city's police department. The protesters declared the seized property as a cop free zone and even stormed into Seattle's City Hall to demand Durkan's resignation on Tuesday.
Following this, Trump tweeted, "Governor @JayInslee and the Mayor of Seattle are being taunted and played at a level that our great Country has never seen before. Take back your city NOW. If you don't do it, I will. This is not a game. These ugly Anarchists must be stooped IMMEDIATELY. MOVE FAST!".
However, replying to Trump, "Make us all safe. Go back to your bunker," tweeted Democratic Mayor Durkan. She was referring to Trump and the family's recent hideout inside the bunker when protesters stormed inside the White House. Trump addressed the protesters as domestic terrorists and accused radical left democrats of helping them.
Reacting to the same, "A man who is totally incapable of governing should stay out of Washington state's business. It is stoop tweeting," Seattle Governor Jay Inslee Tweeted.
What Led to Police Precinct Seizure?
Following the death of George Floyd due to a Minneapolis police officer, protesters and police officers in Seattle were involved in clashes, especially near Capitol Hill police station. When protests intensified, police officers abandoned the precinct on Monday, June 8. Protesters blocked the precinct and staged a non-violent protest.
Trump had repeatedly spoken about deploying federal forces to curb protests. During his speech in Rose Garden on June 1, Trump had said that he was contemplating invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807, where the president can deploy military in any state without the consent of the state administration.
But this announcement met with stern criticism even from former military leaders. They had warned Trump that such an action will make the military lose its credibility with the American citizens. Despite this, Trump has been threatening the states of enforcing military power to stop protests.
Seattle Public Schools Cut Partnership With Police
Not only protesters, but even school authorities have taken action against the police force. The Seattle Public Schools announced that the district's partnership with police has been suspended for one year. This move also includes removing officers from schools.
The move was initiated after the district Superintendent Denise Juneau learned that Seattle police and the National Guard had used Seattle's property as a staging area in response to protests. Reacting to the Public School's decision, Gwendolyn Jimerson, of the Seattle Education Association also supported the move. This authority represents the district's teachers and other education professionals.
"The message that we want to send to our black, our indigenous and our people of color students are that we are here, we are there and that we support them," the Association issued a statement on its Facebook page in this regard,
