Free Republic

SEATTLE — A plea from Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz to put the guns down as the city and county see a spike in shootings. Concerned community leaders had a special meeting with the chief to address the wave of violent crime. “This last year and a half, I don’t see it slowing down,” Diaz said. It was a hard and honest conversation Tuesday evening at Emerald City Bible Fellowship Church. Diaz, the pastor and community advocates tried to find ways to curb the gun violence rocking the city and county. “I need those guns put down,” Diaz said. Even...

SEATTLE (AP) - Seattle city crews used heavy equipment Tuesday to remove makeshift barriers around the city’s “occupied” protest zone following two fatal shootings in the area. Demonstrators dragged couches and other items to replace the structures. But those were largely gone later Tuesday. **SNIP** Seattle police Assistant Chief Adrian Diaz said the large, makeshift barriers would be removed in incremental steps to allow traffic to move through portions of a road that had been closed off. “So far, you know, everything is peaceful this morning, so that’s a good sign,” Diaz told The Seattle Times. Cement barricades that remained...

SEATTLE - As suddenly as it appeared, the Capitol Hill Occupation Protest was gone. **SNIP** Durkan’s destruction of the CHOP was a reversal of her previous position. On June 12, when Trump accused her of letting anarchists take over the city, Durkan responded, “Seattle is fine. Don’t be so afraid of democracy.” But over the last few weeks, the CHOP had become increasingly controversial. While the daytime scene resembled a music festival or cultural event, the nights became more violent. Six shootings, two of them fatal, occurred in or near the zone in the last two weeks of June, a...

SEATTLE - Hundreds of protesters gathered in Magnuson Park Friday night before making their way to Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan’s neighborhood. The crowd that marched to the mayor’s home was large enough to fill an entire city block, with an estimated two thousand in attendance. **SNIP** The crowd of protesters loudly marched into her neighborhood, chanting about their demands to defund Seattle police and reform justice, and demanding that she resign. The protesters also brought with them a large sound system, noisemakers, cowbells and music. After an hourlong rally, demonstrators paraded past the mayor’s gate where KIRO 7 was told...