Seattle mayor slams Trump's threat to send military

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said Thursday U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to send military into the city to clear protesters would be illegal and unconstitutional.

Gloria Tso reports.

Seattle's mayor says U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to send military into the city to clear protesters would be illegal and unconstitutional.

But Mayor Jenny Durkan did not say when or how authorities would remove the roughly 500 demonstrators who established a makeshift encampment in the city's Capitol Hill neighborhood Monday night (June 8).

Trump tweeted on Wednesday (June 10) that the protesters were quote "domestic terrorists," and followed up on Thursday demanding that Durkan and Governor Jay Inslee quote "take back your city now." Durkan slammed Trump's comments on Thursday (June 11).

"Unfortunately our President wants to tell a story about domestic terrorists who have a radical agenda, and are promoting a conspiracy, and fits his law & order initiatives.

It's simply not true." Activists have occupied Seattle's Capitol Hill since Monday night, when police abandoned their East Precinct station in a move city officials say was aimed at reducing tensions.

Protesters used police barricades to section off the area, calling it the "Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone." One protester told Reuters it was quote "a unique opportunity to see how a police-free zone can be facilitated." Seattle is one of several major cities across the United States that has seen widespread protests for justice in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd.