Seattle 'autonomous zone' has armed guards, local businesses being threatened with extortion, police say https://www.foxnews.com/us/seattle-protests-armed-guards-local-businesses-extortion Seattle police say they have received reports of armed guards and potential extortion in a self-declared autonomous zone that spans several blocks and includes a now-closed precinct. We’ve heard, anecdotally, reports of citizens and businesses being asked to pay a fee to operate within this area. This is the crime of extortion. If anyone has been subjected to this, we need them to call 911,” Assistant Chief of Police Deanna Nollette said on Wednesday. Protesters calling to defund the police and make sweeping reforms to law enforcement tactics have declared a six-block region --  Officers retreated from the area in an effort to quell the violence-- which included multiple shootings, one that was sparked after a man rammed his vehicle into a crowd of protesters. Police officers have deployed tear gas and pepper spray to disperse large groups of people. “We wanted to be able to facilitate and support peaceful demonstrations,” Nollette said. police say armed guards have been surrounding the perimeter of the region and residents who live within the boundaries are "forced to show ID to prove you “belong” there," a law enforcement official told Fox News. Speaking on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the unfolding situation, the official told Fox News some people living in the area -- which includes numerous bars, restaurants, businesses and private residences  -- have been "begging for help because they are not being allowed into their homes without ID." Police have been told to stay away from the region unless there is a call to 911 for help. The official also added that leaders in the anti-cop zone are "starting to extort money from the local businesses within the border for 'protection.'" Mckenzie Diamond, who lives in the “Autonomous Zone," told Kiro 7 the experience has been "a bit stressful." No one at these checkpoints has the legal authority to demand identification from anyone. We ask if anyone is subjected to these demands to call 911 and report the incident,” Nollette said. “While Washington is an open-carry state, there is no legal right for those arms to be used to intimidate community members," she told Komo News. Nollette also added that they are aware of threats to burn down the East Precinct, which she said "would endanger residents, firefighters and businesses.” The police department is looking to start negotiations with the leaders of the protest movement to gain access to the police precinct but are unsure of who is leading the demonstrations. “It’s just a matter of establishing this dialogue. We’d love nothing more than to be able to open our precinct buildings,” Nollette said. “What we want to do is give an opportunity for everyone’s tempers to calm, and for us to approach the table with a view towards equality." Within the blockaded region, occupiers have set up tents, painted murals, and have music playing from speakers throughout the night. One resident in the area told police that there were "tents lining my streets, barricades littered throughout the intersection by protestors, and civilians walking around with AR15s," an official told Fox News. "And the noise has not stopped."