Occupants of the zone favored consensus decision-making, in the form of general assembly, with daily meetings and discussion groups, as an alternative to selecting designated leaders.
 According to City Journal on June 10, former mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver held a major role within in the zone.

On June 11, observers described the burgeoning activity at the early zone as hybrids of other movements, with an atmosphere that was "part protest, part commune", a cross between "a sit-in, a protest and summer festival", or a blend of "Occupy Wall Street and a college independent cooperative dorm."
Vox stated, in an article from June 16, that CHAZ had evolved into "a center of peaceful protest, free political speech, co-ops, and community gardens" after protesters recovered from their initial confusion over the choice by police to leave the precinct.
  
Protesters held frequent town halls to decide strategy and make plans.
Seattle officials say they saw no evidence of antifa umbrella groups organizing in the zone, while some small business owners in the zone blamed antifa for violence and for intimidation of their patrons.
On June 15, SPD Chief Best said, "There is no cop-free zone in the city of Seattle."
Best indicated officers would go into the zone if there were threats to public safety: "I think that the picture has been painted in many areas that shows the city is under siege", she added. "
That is not the case."
On August 7, the New York Times described the zone as police abolition put into practice, reporting that police generally did not respond to calls in the zone.

Misinformation about the zone's governance circulated.
According to Snopes, conservative social media personality Andy Ngo shared a video on June 15 of Seattle-based hip hop artist Raz Simone distributing a rifle from the trunk of his car to another protester on June 8 (the day the zone was first established), after "rumors developed that members of the right-wing group Proud Boys were going to move into the protest area to set fires and stir chaos."
CNN later referred to Simone as the zone's "de facto leader", a characterization that he denied.
Occupants of the zone favored consensus decision-making, in the form of general assembly, with daily meetings and discussion groups, as an alternative to selecting designated leaders.  According to City Journal on June 10, former mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver held a major role within in the zone. 
On June 11, observers described the burgeoning activity at the early zone as hybrids of other movements, with an atmosphere that was "part protest, part commune", a cross between "a sit-in, a protest and summer festival", or a blend of "Occupy Wall Street and a college independent cooperative dorm." Vox stated, in an article from June 16, that CHAZ had evolved into "a center of peaceful protest, free political speech, co-ops, and community gardens" after protesters recovered from their initial confusion over the choice by police to leave the precinct.   
Protesters held frequent town halls to decide strategy and make plans. Seattle officials say they saw no evidence of antifa umbrella groups organizing in the zone, while some small business owners in the zone blamed antifa for violence and for intimidation of their patrons. On June 15, SPD Chief Best said, "There is no cop-free zone in the city of Seattle." Best indicated officers would go into the zone if there were threats to public safety: "I think that the picture has been painted in many areas that shows the city is under siege", she added. "That is not the case." On August 7, the New York Times described the zone as police abolition put into practice, reporting that police generally did not respond to calls in the zone.
Misinformation about the zone's governance circulated. According to Snopes, conservative social media personality Andy Ngo shared a video on June 15 of Seattle-based hip hop artist Raz Simone distributing a rifle from the trunk of his car to another protester on June 8 (the day the zone was first established), after "rumors developed that members of the right-wing group Proud Boys were going to move into the protest area to set fires and stir chaos." CNN later referred to Simone as the zone's "de facto leader", a characterization that he denied.
Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone