Man arrested during LA city council meeting on Friday
LA politics
julia wick David ZahniserMay 5, 2023
A
man
was arrested Friday morning at a Los Angeles City Council meeting
multiple
protesters interrupted Councilman Kevin de Len’s Cinco de Mayo presentation.
The person, who was not identified, was arrested for assaulting a police officer and obstructing a public business establishment, according to LAPD Sergeant Dennis Clark, who is assigned to the building.
Since De Len’s participation in a
secretly recorded conversations with other city leaders
was made public last October, his presence on the council has often drawn derision and abuse from protesters.
secretly recorded conversations with other city leaders
made public last October.
Several protesters in the hall began to shout as representatives
by
the Mexican consulate, standing in the front of the room next to De Len, was speaking. Council Chairman Paul Krekorian
Than
interrupted the presentation to summon the protesters
remove’ removal from the room
as so often happens at council meetings.
ace
The Los Angeles Police Department
officers escorted protesters out of the room, the
big
the wooden door separating the council chambers from the outer corridor suddenly slammed shut, appearing to hit Clark in the head, while someone yelled “F the LAPD.”
Video from inside the room shows the door closing forcefully, but it’s not clear
from the video
what caused
it to do this. the door to close abruptly. Multiple
Officers then rushed to the unknown man, who had just gone outside
that side of
the door and stopped him.
“When we got him out, he slammed the door on me,” said Clark.
General Dogon, an activist with the Los Angeles Community Action Network
who was present who was also present
pushed that story back, saying the arrested man had
only
closed the door behind him.
After another short break, De Len’s presentation continued, with a costumed
dance
Group performing a traditional Tecuanes dance on the council floor.
“The disruption of the Cinco de Mayo presentation today was embarrassing and disrespectful, embarrassing the city in front of foreign dignitaries who traveled from Mexico to celebrate members of our local Poblano community being elected by the City Council for the first time. were recognized,” said De Len. That said spokesman Pete Brown Friday afternoon.
This is the
was the third arrest at a council meeting this year, Clark said.