Panel: Seattle police should apologize for protest violence

SEATTLE (AP) — A panel of police, citizens and accountability experts has concluded that the Seattle Police Department should “offer a sincere, public apology” for its violent response to people demonstrating after the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. The Seattle Times reports that the panel found Seattle officers and commanders repeatedly failed to recognize the difference between protesters exercising First Amendment rights and the few troublemakers. The report was released Tuesday and is the panel’s final review of the Seattle police response to the 2020 protests. The police department referred to a 2021 public letter with an apology from the police chief and said many of the panel’s recommendations have been implemented.