Seattle Police union president warns of a 'long, long summer' after mayor backs Antifa over officers, Christians

Seattle is facing another public safety reckoning, and the city’s police officers are sounding the alarm. In a blistering interview on The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) President Mike Solan took direct aim at Mayor Bruce Harrell, accusing him of putting officers in harm’s way by siding with radical activists over his police force.

The controversy erupted after Antifa targeted a Christian concert on Saturday. Antifa militants injured several Seattle police officers, but Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell blamed the violence on Christian worshipers. Solan said officers were left without proper support or recognition, claiming that Harrell appeared more focused on managing political optics than ensuring the safety of those on the front lines.

“Cops got put into the hospital,” Solan stated, referencing injuries sustained during violent protests. He pointed to a press release issued by SPOG that called attention to what he termed “Seattle’s public safety reality”—a dire state marked by depleted staffing and political abandonment.

“This is the city’s reality: we are below minimum staffing every shift, in every precinct,” Solan said. “The officers you saw on the line—those were patrol officers pulled from precincts. So, who’s left to answer 911 calls?”

“If we're already below minimum safe staffing levels, and you've got these guys on the line who are getting assaulted by Antifa, and no mention from the mayor about the injuries on cops… we gotta buckle up for a long, long summer.”

Currently, only about 850 officers are available for emergency response or follow-up investigations in Seattle, Solan explained. Nearly 280 of those are eligible for retirement, further threatening the department’s operational integrity. Solan warned that if current trends continue—political pandering, lack of support, and ongoing violence—Seattle may face another “mass exodus” similar to what happened during and following the 2020 George Floyd riots that rocked the Emerald City.

“We are already out of contract. We’ve been out for a year and a half,” Solan said. “We keep hearing about hiring gains, but no one is talking about the number of officers walking out the door. If we lose another 100 officers, it’s over. We won’t be able to protect this city.”

Solan didn’t mince words when criticizing Mayor Harrell, who campaigned on a platform of public safety but has since alienated many in the law enforcement community.

“This mayor seems more worried about being outflanked by the activist left than leading,” Solan charged. “He's pandering to people who view Antifa violence as acceptable, while ignoring the reality that officers are being assaulted.”

Harrell's support for leftist agitators over the Christian group prompted a Tuesday evening protest on the steps of City Hall in which pastors and Christians demanded an apology or for Harrell to resign. Solan argued that instead of showing leadership, Harrell made the situation worse by invoking identity politics and failing to acknowledge injured officers.

With recruitment dwindling and morale cratering, the future of public safety in Seattle is uncertain. Solan believes that only a return to practical, moderate leadership can restore trust in the city’s law enforcement institutions. “We’re not asking for radical right or radical left. We’re asking for leadership that’s grounded in reality and common sense,” he said. “Instead, we get silence on officer injuries and political spin.”

Solan, a 51-year-old veteran nearing retirement, became emotional when speaking about the younger officers who remain on the job, many of whom face a bleak outlook in a city he says has not learned from past mistakes. “I feel for the officers who have 10 or 15 years left. I don't know what this department is going to look like after this summer,” he said.

Solan’s remarks draw chilling parallels to the “Summer of Love” in 2020 and the deadly Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ), when then-Mayor Jenny Durkan allowed activists to occupy several blocks of Capitol Hill, leading to chaos, crime, and multiple deaths. Solan fears history may be repeating itself. “Harrell is doing the same thing: throwing officers under the bus to appease radical activists. That didn’t work in 2020, and it’s not going to work now,” Solan warned.