Man mistakenly arrested in Seattle’s May Day protest spent 3 days in jail
May 17, 2016, 6:48 AM | Updated: 11:15 am
Seattle police are asking for help identifying a man who they believed threw a Molotov cocktail at officers during the May Day protest. (Seattle police)
(Seattle police)
A 23-year-old man who police mistook for a Molotov cocktail-wielding May Day protester spent about three days in jail before being released on bail, The Seattle Times reports.
Charges against Wesley Nielsen, who law enforcement believed threw the weapon at officers during the May 1 protest in Seattle, have been dropped. The Times reports Nielsen was one of two protesters charged with third-degree assault.
The confusion came when a SWAT officer believed he saw Nielsen throw the Molotov. The person the officer saw throw the weapon was wearing a “man bun” at the time, but untied it after assaulting police.
Nielsen says he did not have his hair in a bun, the Times reports.
Police reviewed video of the protest, which led them to change their opinion of Nielsen’s involvement. They are now asking for help in identifying a person who was wearing a “man bun” and who may have lobbed a Molotov on 4th Avenue.
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