Los Angeles police forced to delete 'embarrassing' and 'offensive' social media post apologising to Iran
The LA County Sheriff's Department scrambled to delete an "offensive" and "embarrassing" social media post about Iran strikes.
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On Sunday, LA cops expressed condolences for the "tragic" US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday.
The post on X read: "Our hearts go out to the victims and families impacted by the recent bombings in Iran.
"While this tragic event happened overseas, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is closely monitoring the situation alongside our local, state and federal partners."
Social media users flooded the comments to call out the 'out-of-touch' comments.
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Stop Antisemitism hit back at the post, telling LA police: "We sincerely hope your account was hacked.
"There were no victims in last night's successful targeting of Iran's nuclear sites."
Another social media user called the post "pathetic" while someone else penned on X: "How is this even real??"
One user said: "Your "hearts are with the people of Iran". Did you put that statement out EVERY time the people of Israel got bombed?
"No wonder your city and state is a CESSPOOL."
It comes after anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests broke out in LA earlier this month.
Largely peaceful protests turned violent overnight as people took to the streets to protest Donald Trump administration's crackdown on illegal migrants across the US.
California is suing the Trump administration over its deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles during immigration raids, according to California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
Several users questioned why LA cops were commenting on national defence and foreign policy issues.
The police department quickly deleted the post and published an apology.
Read more: Brits warned petrol prices could 'skyrocket' as Iran 'close to blocking' Strait of Hormuz
It said: "This post was unacceptable, made in error, and does not reflect the views of Sheriff Robert G. Luna or the Department.
"As a law enforcement agency, we do not comment on foreign policy or military matters. Our mission remains solely focused on protecting public safety and serving our diverse communities."
The department say they have "launched an internal review to determine how it was created and published".
LA police said: "Steps are being taken to strengthen our social media oversight protocols and ensure that any future communications align with our Department's standards of professionalism, respect, and accountability."
On Saturday night, President Donald Trump confirmed three Iranian nuclear sites - Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan - were bombed in a move that has shocked the world.
Amir-Saeid Iravani told an emergency meeting held in New York on Sunday evening that the UK, US, France, Israel and the UN's atomic agency "will bear full responsibility for the death of innocent civilians in Iran, especially women and children, and for destruction of vital civilian infrastructure."
He also slammed the "silence, double standards and complicity" of some Western countries including the UK.
Mr Iravani also said Israel and the US were the chief culprits for eroding the rule of law and undermining international law.
He said: "From its illegal invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan to its catastrophic intervention to Libya, the United States had ignored the UN Charter, shattered entire societies and destabilised the region for decades.
"The people of these countries continue to pay the price for these reckless policies.
"Madam President, Israeli attack on June 13 and the US aerial strike on June 21 did not occur in vacuum.
"They are a direct result of the illegal and politically motivated actions of the United States and its European partners, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, as well as biassed conduct of the IAEA Director General.
"Undoubtedly the United States, the UK and France - three permanent member of this Council - along with the Israeli regime and the IAEA General Director will bear full responsibility for the death of innocent civilians in Iran, especially women and children, and for destruction of vital civilian infrastructure."
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the emergency meeting of the Security Council on Sunday.
Mr Guterres described the bombing of the facilities as a "perilous turn in a region that is already reeling from the outset of the crisis."
He added: "I have repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the Middle East.
"The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction."
He called for diplomacy to "prevail".