This evening, Councilmember Kevin de León, a member of his staff and a volunteer were physically attacked by people who disrupted a community holiday event to call for his resignation. This kind of crime is intolerable in a free society, and the incident will be vigorously investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.
No matter what disputes we may have with elected officials or our fellow citizens, violence like this is completely unacceptable. In a free society political disagreements are unavoidable, and passionate discussion is necessary, but violence discredits the cause that employs it.
This city has endured horrendous division and toxicity in recent months. We need to reject hatred in all of its forms, and we need to reject the atmosphere of intimidation, bullying and threats that have become all too commonplace in this city and across the country. Whatever position each of us takes on the controversies of the day, we need to reject violent words and especially violent acts, and we need to start treating each other with the same respect we want others to show us even when we disagree.
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