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<blockquote data-quote="SMS" data-source="post: 3380901" data-attributes="member: 42"><p>I imagine you are correct. Certainly the local media is out there covering it. Last time I checked, business owners in every state have multiple options to address grievances; State and local Chambers of Commerce, city council, mayor's office, city cops, state cops, state legislature, state AG, Governor, Senators and House Reps etc...</p><p></p><p>There's a whole lot of daylight in between a local sandwich shop owner getting harassed by protesters and federal troops rolling in. Is there a conglomeration of these local business out there calling for federal relief? Any petitions, court cases? Any of the state or national congressional reps picking up the banner for them? Certainly we would hear something. Or do we just roll out the 82nd Airborne because there <em>might be</em> some local businesses in trouble?</p><p></p><p>The Greater Seattle Business Association reached out to CHAZ area businesses after the SPD reported rumors of extortion. There response was that nothing of the sort was happening:</p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/GSBA/status/1271132476329431040" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/GSBA/status/1271132476329431040</a></p><p></p><p>The Seattle Times also did some digging after the SPD walked back their extortion claims (the PD never received any complaints and has never investigated any such activity). It all started with a Canadian fake news outlet:</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>"Police walk back report that Capitol Hill protesters extorted businesses</strong></span></p><p>The Seattle Police Department walked back its claim, widely repeated in the news media, that denizens of the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone are extorting businesses.</p><p></p><p><strong>"That has not happened affirmatively," Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best in a news conference Thursday afternoon, adding that the police department had based earlier claims on anecdotal reports, including in the news and on social media. "We haven't had any formal reports of this occurring."</strong></p><p></p><p>That contradicts earlier statements from the police.</p><p></p><p>In a news conference Wednesday, Assistant Seattle Police Chief Deanna Nollette said police have heard from Capitol Hill community members that some protesters have asked business owners to pay a fee to operate in a roughly six-block area around the precinct. Best repeated the claim in a video address to officers Thursday morning.</p><p></p><p>The police narrative rang false to many in the Capitol Hill business community. Restaurant owners said they hadn't heard any reports of extortion in the Autonomous Zone. On the contrary: <strong>Sales are strong and the increase in walk-up business is cutting down on delivery costs.</strong></p><p></p><p>"This protest has not hurt us at all," said Bok a Bok Chicken co-owner Brian O'Connor. When he came to the Autonomous Zone Wednesday, rather than extortion, he said he was met with an offer of a free bagel-and-cheese sandwich.</p><p></p><p>The claim seems to have gained traction after it was published in conservative blog The Post Millennial, in an article written by former Seattle City Council candidate Ari Hoffman. The article quoted unnamed police officers who alleged protesters were extorting businesses for protection money. Hoffman said his sources were "rock solid" and that he had first heard of the alleged extortion on conservative talk radio station AM 770 KTTH.</p><p></p><p>The claim was later repeated by a commenter under the name "Marcus S." on the Capitol Hill Seattle blog, and in a tweet by Andy Ngo, editor-at-large of The Post Millennial.</p><p></p><p>Apart from those sources, Christina Arrington, who heads the Capitol Hill branch of the Greater Seattle Business Association, said she has had "no other indications that this is taking place." The GSBA "found no evidence of this occurring," the group <a href="https://twitter.com/GSBA/status/1271132476329431040" target="_blank">tweeted</a>, based on conversations with area business."</p><p></p><p></p><p>This is a 100% local issue.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="SMS, post: 3380901, member: 42"] I imagine you are correct. Certainly the local media is out there covering it. Last time I checked, business owners in every state have multiple options to address grievances; State and local Chambers of Commerce, city council, mayor's office, city cops, state cops, state legislature, state AG, Governor, Senators and House Reps etc... There's a whole lot of daylight in between a local sandwich shop owner getting harassed by protesters and federal troops rolling in. Is there a conglomeration of these local business out there calling for federal relief? Any petitions, court cases? Any of the state or national congressional reps picking up the banner for them? Certainly we would hear something. Or do we just roll out the 82nd Airborne because there [I]might be[/I] some local businesses in trouble? The Greater Seattle Business Association reached out to CHAZ area businesses after the SPD reported rumors of extortion. There response was that nothing of the sort was happening: [URL]https://twitter.com/GSBA/status/1271132476329431040[/URL] The Seattle Times also did some digging after the SPD walked back their extortion claims (the PD never received any complaints and has never investigated any such activity). It all started with a Canadian fake news outlet: [SIZE=4][B]"Police walk back report that Capitol Hill protesters extorted businesses[/B][/SIZE] The Seattle Police Department walked back its claim, widely repeated in the news media, that denizens of the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone are extorting businesses. [B]"That has not happened affirmatively," Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best in a news conference Thursday afternoon, adding that the police department had based earlier claims on anecdotal reports, including in the news and on social media. "We haven't had any formal reports of this occurring."[/B] That contradicts earlier statements from the police. In a news conference Wednesday, Assistant Seattle Police Chief Deanna Nollette said police have heard from Capitol Hill community members that some protesters have asked business owners to pay a fee to operate in a roughly six-block area around the precinct. Best repeated the claim in a video address to officers Thursday morning. The police narrative rang false to many in the Capitol Hill business community. Restaurant owners said they hadn't heard any reports of extortion in the Autonomous Zone. On the contrary: [B]Sales are strong and the increase in walk-up business is cutting down on delivery costs.[/B] "This protest has not hurt us at all," said Bok a Bok Chicken co-owner Brian O'Connor. When he came to the Autonomous Zone Wednesday, rather than extortion, he said he was met with an offer of a free bagel-and-cheese sandwich. The claim seems to have gained traction after it was published in conservative blog The Post Millennial, in an article written by former Seattle City Council candidate Ari Hoffman. The article quoted unnamed police officers who alleged protesters were extorting businesses for protection money. Hoffman said his sources were "rock solid" and that he had first heard of the alleged extortion on conservative talk radio station AM 770 KTTH. The claim was later repeated by a commenter under the name "Marcus S." on the Capitol Hill Seattle blog, and in a tweet by Andy Ngo, editor-at-large of The Post Millennial. Apart from those sources, Christina Arrington, who heads the Capitol Hill branch of the Greater Seattle Business Association, said she has had "no other indications that this is taking place." The GSBA "found no evidence of this occurring," the group [URL='https://twitter.com/GSBA/status/1271132476329431040']tweeted[/URL], based on conversations with area business." This is a 100% local issue. [/QUOTE]
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