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A day after condemning a former officer for joining with a mob that eventually stormed the U.S. Capitol in Washington, the Oakland Police Department said it had opened an investigation into current officers who supported the violent insurrection in support of President Trump.
The department said in a statement that its employees are prohibited from affiliating with subversive groups and from doing anything that brings disrepute on the department.
The police force did not say how many officers are being investigated or give their names. But it said that offenders could face discipline, including termination.
The department “will not allow any members to engage in or support this type of content and will root out this conduct anywhere within the department,” the statement said.
The department’s announcement came after former Oakland officer Jurell Snyder acknowledged in an interview with KPIX-TV that he had joined with protesters in Washington who on Wednesday protested Trump’s loss in the presidential election.
When a reporter asked him if he and other protesters feared prosecution for their actions, Snyder responded: “I think those people who trespassed into the Capitol building would be happy to take a criminal penalty . . . if the Democrats who committed fraud take the criminal charges of treason.”
Snyder also told KPIX reporter Joe Vazquez: “What do you think’s worse, Joe, storming the Capitol with a flag or committing treason against your country?” The former officer, who left the Oakland Police Department about six years ago, also said he stayed outside the Capitol building.
The Oakland Police Department did not identify Snyder as the former officer whose behavior led to initial condemnation. But it described the individual as a former employee, who had not worked for the department for almost six years. In an online biography, Snyder reported leaving the department in 2015.
Some officers on the Oakland force reportedly supported Snyder’s actions, leading to the department investigation.
Previous posts on what appear to be Snyder’s Facebook account included claims of massive voter fraud in November’s presidential election — assertions that have been thoroughly debunked by election officials and the courts.
In one post, Snyder also declared his support for militias, saying that such armed groups are “written into our Constitution” and adding: “If it weren’t for militias we’d all be British.”
The Facebook post concludes: “Ignoring facts will lead to violence … and it will be nothing compared to what ‘ANTIFA’ and BLM has done.”
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