On Friday a couple dozen progressive leaders called for the Mayor’s resignation or removal. Since then, Seattle Councilmember Kshama Sawant has called for the same, CM Morales has her eyebrow raised, and CM Mosqueda says there's a statement coming. Here’s the full response (why not?) to these calls from Durkan’s spokesperson, emphasis hers:

Mayor Durkan will not be distracted from the critical work that needs to be done at a moment that Seattle is [at one of] its most challenging times in its history. The disparities, health, and economic impacts of the pandemic are an unprecedented challenge. Now we are facing the pain and trauma relating to the murder of Mr. Floyd and the generations of systemic racism in our city and country that rightfully needs to be addressed not through words but action. The City has so much healing and work to do - that is where Mayor Durkan will continue to spend her focus in the coming days, weeks and months ahead. At this pivotal moment, we cannot fan division when we need to come together to make actual steps on policing, invest in community, safely reopen our city to get workers back to work, and address the inequities in every system, including in education, housing, access to wealth building jobs and the criminal justice system.

As the person who originally investigated the Seattle Police Department for the unconstitutional use of force, Mayor Durkan believes that SPD can lead the nation on continued reforms and accountability, but knows this week has eroded trust at a time when trust is most crucial.

Mayor Durkan has worked non-stop over the last three months to keep our community safe during the COVID-19 crisis and to address the inequities of the pandemic in our community. Working together, we must focus our investments in opportunity in the communities of color and increase efforts that go even beyond what we built the first two years, like free college, expanding preschool, protecting domestic workers and rideshare drivers, building affordable housing, and investing in community led youth safety programs.