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4 arrested in Detroit after Facebook posts about police shootings

Posted at 8:24 AM, Jul 11, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-11 08:29:03-04

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit police have arrested four men after Facebook postings that the city’s police chief says represent threats against officers.

The Detroit News reports one of the men is accused of urging people to kill white officers.

Chief James Craig says Sunday the department’s counter-terrorism unit saw that posting while monitoring social media. He says “while it’s been established that hate speech is protected by the First Amendment, we’re talking about people specifically saying on Facebook they want to kill white police officers.”

Police say two other posts about shooting officers were scrutinized. Craig says two of the men were released and two were jailed on unrelated warrants.

The arrests follow the fatal shooting of five officers in Dallas. Craig has said his officers are on alert after the shootings.