"We're not even here most of the time. It’s terrible to live here right now,” a man only identified only as “Srujan” told KING5-TV on Wednesday.
KING5-TV has also reported about the owner of a business on the edge of CHOP claiming he called 911 to report a burglary and fire on his premises, but no one showed up.
"What you want from a home is a stress-free environment. You want to be able to sleep well, you want to feel comfortable and we just don't feel comfortable right now." So he and his fiancée are leaving their residence in Seattle’s Capitol Hill area for a while.
From KING5:
Their complaints aren’t unique – we’ve received emails from many that say they have real concerns about living inside or near the Capitol Hill Organized Protest Zone – many asking to remain anonymous.
Some residents and business owners have expressed concerns about their safety and security in an area that demonstrators want to be police-free. But Seattle police said officers will still respond to “significant life-safety issues” in the area.
But will they?
“We’re just trying to run a small business, make a living, be good members of society. And try to be good neighbors to the neighborhood and I think we’ve really been let down by the mayor’s office, the Seattle Police Department and the fire department,” said John McDermott, a co-owner of Car Tender on Capitol Hill.
McDermott and his son detained a burglar and had to put out a fire set at their business themselves, but eventually, they had to let the man go because police never responded to their calls.
When asked about residents being “uncomfortable” and concerned about living in CHOP, CHOP spokesperson “J” replied, "If that discomforts them, I can't imagine how they feel about black people being murdered by police."