Barr Praises Seattle Police Chief for ‘Restoring the Rule of Law’
Attorney General William Barr is praising Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best after the city’s police took control of the area that had been known as the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) zone. In a statement on…
Attorney General William Barr is praising Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best after the city’s police took control of the area that had been known as the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) zone.
In a statement on Wednesday, Barr said, “I commend Police Chief Carmen Best for her courage and leadership in restoring the rule of law in Seattle.”
“For the past several weeks, the Capitol Hill area of Seattle was occupied by protesters who denied access to police and other law enforcement personnel. Unsurprisingly, the area became a haven for violent crime, including shootings that claimed the lives of two young people, assaults, and robberies,” he added.
On Wednesday, Seattle police returned to a police precinct, and the CHOP area after Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan (D) ordered protesters to leave.
Thirteen people were arrested as police took control of the area. Early in the day, the police told protesters to leave and warned that those who did not leave or returned would be arrested.
In a statement addressing the protesters, Best said, “I support peaceful demonstrations. Black Lives Matter, and I too want to help propel this movement toward meaningful change in our community. But enough is enough.”
“The CHOP has become lawless and brutal. Four shootings—two fatal—robberies, assaults, violence and countless property crimes have occurred in this several block area,” she continued.
Best appeared to be referencing a series of shootings