Snohomish, Washington Police Chief Demoted After Controversial Comments

SNOHOMISH, Wash. (AP) – Snohomish city leaders say their police chief is being demoted amid public outcry over his comments about armed vigilantes gathering in the city.

The Daily Herald reports Keith Rogers will stay on as a lieutenant.

Rogers has received wide public condemnation and calls for resignation after referring to a hundred armed vigilantes converging in Snohomish on May 31 as a festive night of tailgating and celebratory pleasantries.

Among those gathered in the historic downtown were a man waving a Confederate flag and people flaunting patches of a hate group’s coded insignia on tactical gear.

They were there for the supposed purpose of protecting boutiques from alleged leftist looting threats that never materialized.