The Sacramento City Council is looking at its procedures and policies after a meeting Tuesday night was paused due to shouting and fighting between two groups over antisemitic comments.The disruption got to the point where officers with the Sacramento Police Department went to City Hall.”Last night was antisemitic and racist. Hate speech shouldn’t ever be tolerated, but when it comes to policy and issues that local neighborhoods want to address, we need to give them that space,” said Council Member Karina Talamantes of District 3.The city’s website lays out what disorderly conduct is including: Yelling or shouting or interrupting a speaker who is addressing the councilOrganized silent demonstrationsOther demonstrations intended to disturb the progress of the meetingThe guidelines say if a person isn’t following the rules of decorum, the presiding officer can order the person to leave or be forcibly removed. In the case of Tuesday night, the meeting was put on hold, and the audience cleared out.”The mayor made a decision last night, and we all supported it 100% for the safety of the audience and obviously us,” said Council Member Sean Lololee of District 2.This was not the first time some of the people involved have caused disruptions at a council meeting, which raised the question of what can be done about repeat offenders.”We’re currently working with the city clerk to redo our council rules of procedure to see what kind of options there are that we can give people that disrupt the meeting,” Talamantes said. Both of them said the council is in talks with the city attorney and manager to see what changes can be made to the rules, but they couldn’t say what those changes may be.
The Sacramento City Council is looking at its procedures and policies after a meeting Tuesday night was paused due to shouting and fighting between two groups over antisemitic comments.
The disruption got to the point where officers with the Sacramento Police Department went to City Hall.
“Last night was antisemitic and racist. Hate speech shouldn’t ever be tolerated, but when it comes to policy and issues that local neighborhoods want to address, we need to give them that space,” said Council Member Karina Talamantes of District 3.
The city’s website lays out what disorderly conduct is including:
- Yelling or shouting or interrupting a speaker who is addressing the council
- Organized silent demonstrations
- Other demonstrations intended to disturb the progress of the meeting
The guidelines say if a person isn’t following the rules of decorum, the presiding officer can order the person to leave or be forcibly removed. In the case of Tuesday night, the meeting was put on hold, and the audience cleared out.
“The mayor made a decision last night, and we all supported it 100% for the safety of the audience and obviously us,” said Council Member Sean Lololee of District 2.
This was not the first time some of the people involved have caused disruptions at a council meeting, which raised the question of what can be done about repeat offenders.
“We’re currently working with the city clerk to redo our council rules of procedure to see what kind of options there are that we can give people that disrupt the meeting,” Talamantes said.
Both of them said the council is in talks with the city attorney and manager to see what changes can be made to the rules, but they couldn’t say what those changes may be.
