The Brief: Since protestors occupied CHAZ, memes are popping up about this new Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone.
DEEP DIVE
CHAZ: the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, also known as CHOP, in Seattle has invoked controversy and inspired memes. CHAZ memes from leftists and supporters of the movement can be found on Twitter, Reddit, and Instagram. A new subreddit dedicated to CHAZ currently has 8,900 subscribers. The Twitter account @CHAZUpdates while not officially associated with CHAZ, has over 8,000 followers.
Online, conservatives including President Donald Trump have criticized CHAZ and spread misinformation about the protestors there. One widespread but false rumor is that the occupation was led by “warlord” Raz Simone, who is a rapper.
Many popular CHAZ memes depict the zone as a functional and peaceful collective with the potential to be a model for other community-organized places without police.
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two days into the #SeattleAutonomousZone and we already have a full political compass#CHAZ #razsimone #Seattle pic.twitter.com/toMRKUjdvJ
— Matthew Petti (@matthew_petti) June 11, 2020
Also as of today, on the CHAZ subreddit, this was posted, it's obviously a meme but they could (?) be trying to get a cow? pic.twitter.com/2f3PJ5kyuL
— CHAZUpdates (@chaz_updates) June 11, 2020
#CHAZ is what happens when you cancel Burning Man.
— Bridget Phetasy (@BridgetPhetasy) June 11, 2020
Confirmed: Sonic The Hedgehog is at CHAZ.
Several references have been made to the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone’s name being similar to Auto Zone…
Texas Senator Ted Cruz tweeted a South Park clip in an apparent attempt to make fun of CHAZ occupants for being a group of weed-smoking hippies:
Secret undercover video taken from inside the CHAZ Autonomous Zone. pic.twitter.com/RWWeEMPYNF
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 11, 2020