Just a little more than three weeks after protestor’s occupied Seattle’s Capitol Hill, Mayor Jenny Durkan signed an executive order to reclaim that area with law enforcement following safety concerns. The protestors have been camping out around Cal Anderson Park in Seattle’s East Precinct.

Though the area was generally peaceful, problems started on June 20 when the shootings began.

Since the announcement on June 30, and police  started evacuating the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone(CHAZ) this morning, 31 people have been arrested for failure to disperse, resisting arrest, assault, and obstruction. 

Over the last ten days, a 16-year-old who was shot and killed, and a 14-year-old taken to the hospitalIn total, six people were shot in CHAZ.

Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best also released a statement saying she stood behind the peaceful protests, but had enough with the autonomous zone. 

“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,” she said, adding that CHAZ had become “lawless and brutal.”

The Seattle Police Department started moving into the autonomous zone with the help of the FBI at around 5 a.m. with over 100 officers equipped with armor, batons, weapons, and helmets. 

The volunteer security guards helped people in the encampment pack and move their things while police arrived. 

Chief Best said she will do her part in “re-envisioning public safety.” Though law enforcement has not yet returned to the East Precinct, she added that they would be back in their headquarters as soon as possible.

Even though the autonomous zone only lasted three weeks, it made sound waves across the nation that the people are fed up from police brutality, racism, and fascism. 

Over the last five weeks, the world has seen demonstrations, including Seattle’s CHAZ that has shaken the nation’s officials to their core, forcing immediate change that has always been needed.