Seattle police union head criticized for U.S. Capitol riot comments

Seattle’s internal police watchdog is investigating tweets by the head of the city’s police officers union that suggested Black Lives Matter and other liberal activists share blame for last week’s violence at the U.S. Capitol.

The Seattle Times reports that the Office of Police Accountability has opened an internal investigation into the tweets by Mike Solan, president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild. Solan’s tweets include one on Friday saying the "far right and far left are responsible for that sad day," the Times said.

Solan didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment from The Times or Q13 News. 

The investigation comes after two city police officers were placed on administrative leave by interim Police Chief Adrian Diaz while authorities look into what role, if any, the officers played in Washington, D.C., when a violent mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the nation’s Capitol.

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Both Mayor Jenny Durkan and the Washington State Fraternal Order of Police condemned Solan’s social media comments on Saturday. Durkan’s chief of staff, Stephanie Formas, said in an emailed statement that Solan "should retract his statements and apologize or resign."