Cryptocurrencies are reportedly taking part in a task — for good and sick — in Seattle’s Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, an space established in help
Cryptocurrencies are reportedly taking part in a task — for good and sick — in Seattle’s Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, an space established in help of the African-American neighborhood by protesters towards aggressive policing.
A venture known as JamaiCoin claims that six companies are experimenting with its cryptocurrency as a protest towards the US greenback, whereas individually one other enterprise proprietor claims he’s being extorted for $500 of ‘safety cash’ in Bitcoin (BTC).
The CHAZ, AKA Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP), was shaped on June eight by Seattle residents protesting the police homicide of George Floyd. The three-block space northeast of downtown Seattle has since turn into a semi-autonomous neighborhood with out a police presence.
JamaiCoin (YAH) claimed in a June 17 Tweet that companies in CHAZ are accepting its token, which it describes because the “fundamental cryptocurrency of the black neighborhood”.
Nevertheless, whereas the venture’s website hyperlinks by means of to listings on CoinMarketCap, CoinGecko and CoinCodex, none of those websites have any info on the coin, or state that it’s at the moment buying and selling. Hyperlinks to Decentralized Exchanges both present no buying and selling or hyperlink by means of to different cash.
CHAZ – Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, will now settle for YAH/JamaiCoin at 6 totally different points-of-sale. pic.twitter.com/Ljt9Ty7g8R
— JamaiCoin ( 🇯🇲YAH) (@JamaiCoin) June 16, 2020
LiveTokenWatch quotes a protester named ‘Rico’ as saying: “If we actually wish to [say] goodbye to oppression and abuse, we have to say goodbye to the American greenback. In addition to, these tokens have zero inflation. I have no idea how lengthy I’ll keep in CHAZ, however it’s good to know that my modest quantity will preserve its worth, even when the greenback is tumbling.”
Check out LiveTokenWatch’s story your self to guage, however within the absence of supporting info, the quote sounds slightly off. Cointelegraph has contacted JamaiCoin and can replace this story if we hear again.
Potential extortion of residents
There are additionally unconfirmed experiences that some CHOP members could also be utilizing crypto in a mafia-esque shakedown of native companies for cover cash within the absence of police.
One enterprise proprietor, named solely as Marcus, claims he was approached by six CHOP supporters asking for $500 in money or Bitcoin (BTC) for “neighborhood safety and safety”:
“I instructed them I would like to pay within the latter in hope it might purchase time. They’re supposedly coming again tomorrow to offer me digital pockets particulars (none of them truly had that data after they confirmed up […] Even $500 goes to be a success for us as we solely simply reopened however I’d fairly pay than ask for bother. I additionally am hoping they supply some extra readability as as to whether this can be a one-time or recurring fee and the way usually fee is anticipated.”
Nevertheless, as soon as once more it’s not possible to establish whether or not the enterprise proprietor actually exists or is just a part of the continuing disinformation marketing campaign that seemingly surrounds each facet of the continuing protests. Cointelegraph has contacted ‘Marcus’ as nicely and can let if he responds.
Phishing for Bitcoins?
Different unverified Twitter accounts with fewer than 200 members have popped as much as request donations in Bitcoin for CHAZ, one offering a pockets tackle. As of this writing, nobody has despatched any BTC to the tackle, based on blockchain information.
It’s not unusual for unscrupulous people to make the most of public help on scorching matter points. Cointelegraph reported on June four that somebody had launched a personalised token of George Floyd, seemingly feeding on the outrage constructing within the U.S. to make a fast money seize.
Pushing crypto into CHAZ
One crypto consumer Cointelegraph can say for sure is actual is The Keiser Report’s Max Keiser who addressed CHAZ inhabitants immediately on Twitter on June 13. The Bitcoin bull urged BTC as a substitute forex for the zone:
Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ)
You possibly can *NEVER* be ‘autonomous’ in case you’re utilizing $ {dollars}
Wanna be *completely* autonomous?
Use cash that’s indestructible, unconfiscatable and uncensorable. #Bitcoin
— Max Keiser’s Alter Ego (@realmaxkeiser) June 13, 2020