LA Citizens Sound Off On Resignation Call For Councilmembers Caught Making Racist Remarks During City Council Meeting

Hundreds of Protesters gathered outside the Los Angeles City Hall on Tuesday to protest  the first City Council meeting following the leak of the racist comments audio of Councilmembers Nury Martinez, Kevin de Leon, and Gil Cedillo during the weekend.

For the last several days LA and state leaders across the political spectrum have called for the resignation of the three Councilmembers, with Mayor Eric Garcetti, Governor Gavin Newsom, and President Jo Biden even saying that the three need to resign. While Martinez has left the Presidency of the City Council and the fourth person on the tape, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera, has resigned, the three have not budged on an official resignation as of Tuesday night.

The situation grew even more Tuesday with the City Council meeting. Inside the City Hall, interim City Council President Mitch O’ Farrell tried several times to quiet down furious members of the public shouting for the three to resign. Outside, an impromptu demonstration quickly formed, swelling to the hundreds, all calling for resignations from Martinez, de Leon, and Cedillo as well.

LA City Hall is full and now the line of folks waiting to get in have shut down the street.

Completely impromptu demonstration has spilled on N. Main St in #DTLA. pic.twitter.com/EIjrixNLu1

— Vice Mayor Konstantine Anthony????♿???? (@KonstantineinCA) October 11, 2022

Back inside, Councilmen de Leon and and Cedillo were heavily booed when they took their seats, while Mike Bonin, who was not expected to come, arrived to cheers from the audience, including many longtime rivals such as members of the LAPD. Nury Martinez never came due to taking a leave of absence earlier in the day. For several hours, speakers of all different races and creeds came up and asked for their resignations, cutting off normal city business due to the sheer volume of people wanting to speak. In particular, members of the Latino community, who had been the last group to support the three embattered Latino councilmembers, added their support to the resignation cause.

“I’m a Hispanic like them, and I’m really hurt,” said Maria Briones, one of many Angelinos who addressed the Council.

Another Latino speaker simply shouted “Shame on all of you!” Resign and make room in those seats for the people who are a reflection of this community.”

Bonin speaks

The highlight of the meeting was when Councilmember Bonin, who, along with his son, was the target of many of the racist remarks, addressed the Council.

Holding back tears, Bonin reiterated that the three should resign, saying that “I really did not want to be here today. I want to be home with my family right now. But I wanted to say a few words. I’m still tryin to wrap my ahead around everything that’s been said and what’s been happening.

“My husband and I are both raw and angry and heartbroken, and sick for our family and for Los Angeles. Like most Angelinos, I’m reeling from the revelations of thee public servants. 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.”

“I take a lot of hits. But my son? Man, that makes my soul bleed and my temper burn. And I know I’m not alone. I know that I can ever really know or comprehend or feel the weight of the daily relentless anti-black racism my son is going to face, but man, I know the fire that you feel when they try to destroy that joy.”

“The were are a lot of people asking for forgiveness. And that’s a good first step. But it’s the second step, as they should resign first. But let me be clear, people should not ask me for forgiveness. I can’t forgive them because it’s not my prerogative. It’s the prerogative of a boy who’s too young to really understand what’s going on.”

His speech was met with thunderous applause, with de Leon and Cedillo quickly leaving once the meeting was over.

“Mike” a LAPD officer who attended the meeting on Tuesday who asked to keep his name anonymous, told the Globe that most fellow officers were now on Bonin’s side on the incident.

“As soon as you brought his kid into it, you know, you lost sympathy from anyone,” explained Mike. “Bonin, we really do not like that guy. He keeps trying to restrict us and defund us and everything. But this week, we’re with him. We want those three to resign. First of all, racial comments like that have no place in this world today. But second, they talked about the kid like that. So, on this incident, we are with Bonin. I bet you would never think cops would say that ever.”

In City Hall, many are still trying to work through this and are simply taking it hour by hour.

“Everyone wants their resignation now,” said “Marco,” a City Hall employee to the Globe on Tuesday. “One of the big blocks stopping it from happening now is that, if all three resigned, Latino representation on the Council would go down dramatically. There would would only be a few representing half the city on the Council. But, you know, you can always elect new ones in, and right now, that thought is prevailing more and more.”

“We’re just on our toes right now waiting to see what happens. Many are expecting them to resign soon. I mean, Biden weighed in on it. But we just don’t seem to know yet.”

As of Tuesday night, Martinez, de Leon, and Cedillo have not announced resignations. The issue is expected to be further pressed at the LA Mayoral debate on Tuesday night.