Police said the move Wednesday is designed to protect the public.
SEATTLE — Seattle police early Wednesday showed up in force at the city’s “occupied” protest zone, tore down demonstrators’ tents and used bicycles to herd the protesters so the officers could carry out an executive order from the mayor for the area to be vacated.
Television images showed no immediate signs of clashes between the police, many dressed in riot gear, and dozens of protesters at the “Capitol Hill Occupied Protest” zone that was set up near downtown following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Police moved in to the zone known as CHOP at about 5 a.m. and a loud bang was heard at about 6:15 a.
