TRUMP VS THE MEDIA
On June 8, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan ordered police to abandon their precinct in the Capitol Hill neighborhood after several nights of clashes with violent agitators. Fearing the violence would only escalate, the police were told to retreat. They removed sensitive data and expensive equipment from the East Precinct, boarded up the windows, and left. Then, the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (“CHAZ”) was born. Short-term violence that leads to peaceful marches, voter registration drives, and nightly reminders of how Trump is dividing this country would hurt the president, but the violence wouldn’t stop. It intensified with no end in sight... Activists took over a six-block radius surrounding the East Precinct. It included a spacious park, a few restaurants and businesses, and apartment buildings. Armed Antifa agitators with the local Puget Sound John Brown Gun Club took up security. Ironically, borders were established that limited entry into the zone. Tents took over the park. This was the defund the police movement in action... It was a police-free zone. It didn’t take long for President Trump to take notice. He tweeted that “anarchists” took over Seattle and declared the city needed to end the occupation. That Trump took issue with CHAZ meant the media needed to defend it.
Reporters from numerous outlets showed up during the day for live or recorded hits. Dan Simon of CNN noted it was “entirely peaceful” with the “feel of a street festival.” Echoing that sentiment, NBC News’ Vaughn Hillyard contradicted Trump, saying it’s “more of a pedestrian street festival.” The Guardian posted what can only be described as a propaganda video exclusively showing an inspiring speech while using an anti-Trump press conference by Durkan as narration. “Nightline” on ABC somehow managed to avoid any mention of violence in a seven-minute feature. Elle Reeve for CNN, however, did mention violence at CHAZ, though she blamed right-wing group Proud Boys for instigating it, while glorifying the armed Antifa guards. Any reasonable person knew CHAZ was going to end badly. Though national outlets ignored the violence, locals knew what was going on. But they couldn’t let Trump be right. Unfortunately, he was... By the time the city took back CHAZ, there were two gun homicides of Black teens, several shootings, an attempted rape, arson, and even a riot. The outlets that covered the peaceful time of CHAZ either downplayed its tragic ending or ignored it completely. Nearby, Portland saw 100-plus nights of violent riots. But when Trump got involved, sending federal law enforcement to protect a federal building, the media again pretended he was the problem. On MSNBC, Dr. Phil Goff ridiculously claimed that “the only people firing here [in Portland] are federal agents.” This wasn’t just false... It was a dangerous lie meant to fuel more
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October 2020
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