Protesters demand resignations, reform after LA City Council members caught making racist remarks
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The first Los Angeles City Council meeting since councilmembers Nury Martinez and Kevin de León were heard in leaked audio making racist comments was overcome with chanting from a raucous crowd that demanded their resignations.
Tuesday's meeting got a delayed start as councilmembers struggled to speak over attendees in the packed council chambers as they chanted and booed.
The public hearing session was filled with emotionally-charged comments as tensions remained high.
"Shame on all of you!" said one speaker. "Resign and make room in those seats for the people who are a reflection of this community."
WATCH | Heated public comment session erupts as angry demonstrators call for resignations
At one point, Councilman Gil Cedillo, who was present when the racist remarks were made, and de León took their seats in the council chamber. The public in attendance would not come to order, even though Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell attempted several times.
The crowd got louder and grew more frustrated. Minutes later, Cedillo and de León left the room and were not seen again.
Councilman Mike Bonin, whose Black son was the target of the racist comments, took the floor during the meeting.
"First you must resign, and then ask for forgiveness," Bonin said of the racist remarks from his fellow councilmembers.
Martinez did not attend the meeting. She resigned her presidency of the council after the remarks came to light but continues to hold a seat on the City Council.
Continuing his emotional remarks before the crowd, Bonin said: "My husband and I are both raw and angry and heartbroken, and sick for our family and for Los Angeles.... Public officials are supposed to call us to our highest selves. These people stabbed us and shot us and cut the spirit of Los Angeles."
Mike Bonin speaks out about racist remarks about his son - FULL SPEECH
Although Martinez resigned as council president on Monday and on Tuesday announced she would take a leave of absence, she still maintains her City Council seat. In the fallout of the leaked conversation, calls have only intensified for Martinez and two other councilmembers, de León and Cedillo, to fully step down from their seats. All three have since apologized.
O'Farrell was elevated to interim council president. He's calling for the election of a new city council president at Tuesday's meeting.
Also Tuesday, President Joe Biden weighed in to the controversy. A White House spokesperson said the president believes the councilmembers should step down.
"He believes that they all should resign," Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a White House briefing.
State Attorney General Rob Bonta also is looking into the issue and whether the comments made about the redistricting process merit an investigation by his office. Bonta said he found the comments "unacceptable, offensive, painful, and hurtful."
"We are assessing the nexus between what occurred, or may have occurred, and our duties and obligations to conduct an investigation, to get to the truth, to gather the facts, and apply the law to it," Bonta said. "So, we are in that process now. We are looking. We do not have anything to announce at this time and, if and when we do, we will share it."
L.A.'s civil and religious leaders, including Reverend John Cager, say the racist words heard during the October 2021 conversation were extremely painful to hear. At a news conference Monday, these groups said the councilmembers were considered to be allies and friends.
Though all three have since apologized, many say it's not enough and they're calling for change.
WATCH | LA civil rights, religious leaders say apologies on racist remarks 'not enough'
The leaked audio was recorded behind closed doors as the council was redrawing its own district boundaries. USC voting rights expert Manuel Pastor said it was difficult to listen to that conversation because it went beyond just talking about the needs of Latinos in the community.
It was a conversation, he says, around diminishing Black political power in the city.
"Redistricting is a difficult process because it tends to be zero-sum in its politics," said Pastor, with the USC Equity Research Institute. "To see decades of work wind up being trashed in a conversation and solidarity put at risk in that conversation is devastating."
Outside of City Hall on Main Street, faith and labor leaders and activists, immigrant advocates and others gathered for march and rally to denounce racism and demand change on Tuesday.
Activists in the community and clergy said they felt disrespected and hurt by what they heard in those recordings. They called it racist, xenophobic and homophobic.
"We're not accepting apologies at this time, we're not accepting leave of absence. We need you to be absent permanently. Resign immediately," said one man.
Those activists want those redistricting maps to be reviewed and they are calling on the district attorney to investigate if any civil rights violations were made during the recorded meeting.
Going forward, Cedillo's City Council term will be over in December after losing his primary earlier this year. Martinez and de León aren't up for reelection until 2024.
L.A. voters have the option to start a recall, but that process could take months. The council members were not indicted, so the council as a whole cannot remove them.
LA County Federation of Labor president resigns after racist conversation with LA councilmembers
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