The mayor of Seattle has attacked Donald Trump for threatening to send soldiers into the city to clear Black Lives Matter protesters.
“It is unconstitutional and illegal to send the military into Seattle,” said Jenny Durkan.
The row broke out after the US President threatened to “take back” the city after hundreds of demonstrators set up an “autonomous” encampment in the Capitol Hill district.
Activists have occupied the area since police moved street barricades and abandoned their East Precinct station after days of clashes. It has been called Chaz, an abbreviation of Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone.
Mr Trump said the area had been overtaken by “domestic terrorists”.
“We’re not going to let this happen in Seattle. If we have to go in, we’re going to go in,” Mr Trump told Fox News.
“Let the governor do it. He’s got great National Guard troops. One way or the other, it’s going to get done. These people are not going to occupy a major portion of a great city,” he said.
The row comes after more than two weeks of marches and rallies over George Floyd’s death.
