When George Floyd said he couldn’t breathe and cried for his mother moments before he died, it was a wake-up call for America. Injustice, inequity, and societal racism was revealed again, only this time the nation didn’t just send thoughts and prayers. This time, people emptied into the streets and demanded action.
Two weeks later, after escalating racial tensions and protests across the nation, a 5 block area inside of downtown Seattle was vacated by the police. The zone, initially labeled CHAZ (Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone), immediately gained national attention.
When the organizers changed the named to CHOP (Capitol Hill Organized Protest) to better reflect their message, the media largely painted an ugly portrait of the area. There were claims that everything had been overrun by hippies, anarchists, and warlords. Was this the truth? Or was the ‘police free’ utopia actually working? Most importantly, was the message of ‘Black Lives Matter’ being lost in all the confusion?
