LA City Council shut down by protesters second time, then bans homeless camps by schools

Following a chaotic shutdown of the Los Angeles City Council chambers on Tuesday, Aug. 9, with a line of LAPD officers in riot helmets facing a shouting crowd, the City Council took a final vote to ban obstructing public rights of way by sitting, lying or sleeping in public places near schools and daycare centers.

The council meeting went into recess after two members of the audience were taken away by police, including a male protester who was arrested, according to LAPD Capt. Warner Castillo.

During public comment, one woman giving her remarks climbed over a bench that serves as a barrier to block the front of the chamber, which is off-limits to the public and media.

“You are a piece of (expletive),” she said. “How dare you say that the people that are here are not unhoused?”

Several videos showed police stopping the speaker as she got inside the off-limits area. She was eventually freed.

Later, a male protester was taken away by police and arrested. According to Spectrum News 1 reporter Kate Cagle, the arrested man was activist Ricci Sergienko.

A press release from LAPD also identified Sergienko as the person arrested and said he was detained for allegedly taking a person from lawful custody of a peace officer, and resisting arrest.

Video shared by Cagle showed the detained woman falling down, and Sergienko getting between her and the police, with his hands in the air.

UPDATE: Protestors left without any arrests with the exception of Ricci Sergienko who is still detained. An officer told me he didn’t know for what charges but said it was related to the incident below. https://t.co/K15oIsGvzK

— Kate Cagle (@KateCagle) August 9, 2022

The chamber was packed with opponents of the ordinance, which expands on a city ordinance that bans encampments, now a common sight throughout Los Angeles as more people struggle to stay housed amid rising housing costs.

The shutdown in council chambers followed a council hearing last week, in which L.A. City Council President Nury Martinez couldn’t halt loud chanting by the audience, resulting in a recess in which the chamber was cleared. Some city officials compared that incident to the Jan. 6 insurrection — the 2021 riot at the Capitol that led to several deaths.

This week, Martinez took a more blunt approach, comparing this week’s protesting to the Jan. 6 insurrection, although both protests inside City Hall resembled disruptions at other public meetings, as well as other acts of civil disobedience, including sit-ins.

Martinez noted that speakers were “offended” by the comparison, but said, “We believe this is one step closer to that, jumping over a barrier and putting other people’s lives at risk,” she said. “That cannot be the norm around here.”

The council then voted 11-3 to finalize last week’s tentative approval of the amendment that bans encampments near schools and daycare facilities. Because the vote was split last week, a second vote was needed before it could be forwarded to the mayor for a final signature.

The same three council members — Mike Bonin, Nithya Raman and Marqueece Harris-Dawson — cast the dissenting votes for a second time.

Councilman Paul Koretz, who is running for city controller, was among the first to publicly make the comparison between the protest in City Council chambers to the Jan. 6 insurrection. The comparison prompted pushback from Pete White, executive director of Los Angeles Community Action Network, which advocates for the homeless and poor. He referred to the comparisons as a “whisper campaign,” calling it “ludicrous” and “political nonsense.”

He said comparing it to a coup effort, which involved people with weapons, to “signs, singing, chants, shouting, facts — all protected speech — is both dangerous and irresponsible.”

We’ve received several calls from reporters regarding last Tuesday’s 41.18 vote and a @CD6Nury and @PaulKoretzCD5 “whisper campaign” to liken our presence to the #Jan6 coup attempt. This is our response to their toxic foolishness, and we’ll see you all at City Hall tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/tURphQkIHU

— LA CAN (@LACANetwork) August 8, 2022

During the City Council recess after last week’s council meeting disruption, protesters held a “people’s public comment” session in which speakers described challenges faced by the homeless in getting services and housing. Eventually, the crowd collectively decided to leave.

The council meeting then resumed, and the council voted in favor of the ordinance that many in the audience had opposed.

During the recess called after this week’s meeting disruption, protesters chanted “abolish 41.18,” referring to the name of the municipal ordinance that bans encampments in Los Angeles, and “housing not handcuffs.”

Some said they were unhoused and pleaded for “compassion” to a line of police officers in riot gear and mostly empty council member seats, which were vacated during the recess as members exited to the back of the chambers.

Eventually, police read a dispersal order that the crowd complied with immediately. They were given about 30 minutes to leave the room.

“We’ll be back,” protesters chanted as they left. One protester gave a snarkier retort, saying, “enjoy your panic room!”

After the audience members left, council members and staff returned, and journalists were allowed to remain in the chamber. As police officers assessed the room, staff members could be seen milling about, with some engaged in conversation and lighthearted laughter.

Just before the council resumed the meeting, with just council members, staff, police and media in the chamber. pic.twitter.com/dtwJ55XF4p

— Elizabeth Chou (@reporterliz) August 9, 2022

After the meeting, Koretz said he “certainly felt threatened.”

Earlier, as the woman commenter climbed into the off-limits area, Koretz was in his seat, appearing to film the crowd. Other council members also remained in their seats as police in riot helmets formed a line between them and the crowd.

Championed by LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, the ban is aimed at homeless encampments near schools. Opponents of the ban say that many homeless students attend schools in the district, and the law would make it harder on them.