At a crucial moment during 2020's racial justice protests, Seattle police exchanged a detailed series of fake radio transmissions about a nonexistent group of menacing right-wing extremists.
The radio chatter about members of the Proud Boys marching around downtown Seattle, some possibly carrying guns, and then heading to confront protesters on Capitol Hill was an improper "ruse," or dishonest ploy, that exacerbated a volatile situation, according to findings released Wednesday by the city's Office of Police Accountability.
Matt Watson, a Seattle artist, immediately raised the possibility on social media that there had been a hoax. No one out on the streets had actually seen the Proud Boys group that the officers were talking about on the radio, and the officers were using irregular call signs.
Converge Media journalist Omari Salisbury asked OPA for body camera video from the officers who had supposedly tailed the Proud Boys group. When OPA could not locate any relevant video, the office launched an investigation.
Watson, who posted audio from the Proud Boys ruse on social media, contends the ruse was part of a wider attempt by the police to undermine the protests.
"Having a counterinsurgency operation conducted by our local police department in our own community is bonkers, especially given that the officers weaponized a group later involved in the Capitol attack," Watson said.
The June 8th chatter about Proud Boys was part of an approved "misinformation effort" via radio that multiple police leaders knew about.
In the ensuing days, police leaders raised concerns about reports of armed people patrolling the zone and extorting business owners. Those leaders, including then-Police Chief Carmen Best, later walked back the extortion claim, lacking evidence. But photos and descriptions of the scene became national news, even reaching then-President Donald Trump, who threatened to "take back" the city.
In a statement Wednesday, Mayor Bruce Harrell said the ruse had done "immeasurable" damage to public trust.
"Misinformation, especially of this inflammatory nature, is totally unacceptable from our Seattle police officers," he said. "This kind of tactic never should have been considered."
Only the Police Department had been cited for an improper ruse before, said Councilmember Lisa Herbold, noting a 2019 incident that resulted in the death of a civilian, and an order for better police training.