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there is no threat to the public
CUOMO: Mayor, the other counter by the President, and many people on the Right, will be "Well of course, Durkan has a "D" after her name. She's going to be OK with this because these are her people.
These are these Left-wing anarchists and radicals, and they're letting them run free on the streets. You barely see any Black or African- American faces on those streets. This is about Lefty radicalism run amok in your City, and you seem OK with it."
DURKAN: So, Chris, as you know, I was the United States Attorney here in Seattle. And during that time, as United States Attorney, we investigated and prosecuted a whole range of bad actors, including militia groups, and drug cartels, anarchists and the like.
We are - we have our Public Safety approach in one way. And during this time, a number-one priority every American City has is to protect the First Amendment right.
Our country was born out of protest. The right to gather, the right to protest, the right to challenge government, when it's wrong, is our most fundamental constitutional right. It's a reason it's the First Amendment.
And, as a Mayor of the City, I will do everything to protect that right, and balance the Public Safety. I think not only can we do both, I think we have to do both.
CUOMO: And what is the response to the President's call to "Dominate with compassion?" He says solving your problem would be easy if you were strong and not weak.
Your response was "You want to help? Go back to the bunker." Tough words!
DURKAN: Look, we know the last time I spoke with you we're talking about the pandemic.
And I would yearn for just one positive thing the White House would give us, either on that public crisis, or the public crisis we're facing right now, on systemic racism.
We need a President engaged to bringing America together, to heal, and in the case of Coronavirus, to literally heal, to give me, as a Mayor, the testing capacity I need, the ability to have the drugs that can treat it, and when vaccines come to be fully safe and free for people. I want PPE for my nurses and firefighters.
Instead, I'm searching the globe for those things, so that we can have testing and treatment for people here in Seattle. So, I would say to the President that if you want to do good for America, start doing good for America. We need you in that fight.
We need a - we can harness the beautiful innovation of American manufacturing, and workers, to build a system that actually produce enough testing, so that we can control this virus.
We know we're going to see an uptick in it. This President's not in the fight. Instead, he just wants to start a fight.
CUOMO: Well look, what's happening on your streets isn't going to be helpful to the caseload either. You know that.
We do see people with masks. But obviously, the big risk is as we move back out into public, and reopen, having people in tight spaces like this can't be helpful. It's outside. That's one mitigating factor. But you know there's risk.
I want to just get a clear sense of this though, Mayor.
Why do you believe the President chose to talk about domination in the face of what's happening, not just in your City, but in many instances, when it comes to what the remedy is for the unrest in the country right now? What do you think this is about for him?
DURKAN: I think it shows a complete lack of understanding and why people are in the street. They're in the street fighting a system of domination. And he doesn't understand that.
And his response is always one that's bellicose and militaristic. But he doesn't honor the military in that way either, as you've seen from the line of Generals that have disputed him.
So, I think he says "Dominate" because he is totally does not understand what is happening in America, and he is desperately trying to start the old fights and the old divisions that put him in power in the first place.
CUOMO: How long do you think Seattle in those few blocks looks like this?
DURKAN: I don't know. We could have the Summer of Love.
CUOMO: Well tell that to the Police who was supposed to be in that precinct though. But I understand your sentiment, Mayor. I wish you well. We'll stay on the story. You'll always have this platform to talk about it.
DURKAN: Hey Chris, the police will be - be policing in there. I want to be very clear on that. Our Chief of Police was in there assessing today.
We take Public Safety very seriously. We met with businesses and residents today. We don't have to sacrifice Public Safety for First Amendment rights. Both can exist, and we'll make sure that both exist in Seattle.
CUOMO: We'll be watching to see how it unfolds. The best to you, good to see you, thank you for being on the show.
DURKAN: Thank you, Chris. Take care.