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Protesters continue to pressure Kevin de León to resign BY ERIC HE, CITY NEWS SERVICE de León’s comments, and called it “sad” if the councilman resigns because “this will be the second time in a row
De León conducted interviews with Univision, in Spanish, and CBS2, in English, on Wednesday and said he will not resign amid calls for his resignation ranging from President Joe Biden to nearly all of his council colleagues. “I’ve always been up against many, many BY
because he just happened to wake up on the wrong side of the bed one day,” Akili said. “He made some offensive statements. He participated in creating public policy that’s hurtful. And so he is the problem. He can’t help heal from that.” The October 2021 conversation between de León and fellow council members Nury Martinez and Gil Cedillo, along with Ron Herrera, president of the L.A. County Federation of Labor, included racist comments and discussions over favorable redistricting -- and led to Martinez resigning her council presidency and later her council seat last week. “I’m not going to mince words,” de León told CBS2. “I’m not going to deflect blame. I’m not going to defend the defenseless.” De León and Cedillo have been under mounting pressure to resign since the release of the tape Oct. 9. De León also sent a letter to newly chosen Council President Paul Krekorian asking to be excused from attending council meetings “in the coming weeks” so he can focus on the healing process. The letter was first reported by the Los Angeles Times and obtained by City News Service. De León told Krekorian he would be “spending the coming weeks and months personally asking for your forgiveness.” But Krekorian did not appear to accept de León’s attempt to make amends. In a statement, Krekorian said “apologies will not be nearly enough to undo the damage that this city has suffered. The only way we can begin to heal as a city is for Mr. de León to take responsibility for his actions, accept the consequences, and step down.” On Thursday, Krekorian told KNX that if de León attempts to attend a council meeting, “many
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yelling,” a reference to one of the comments on the leaked recording dismissing Black voters that touched off the scandal. “We’re creating community here,” said Baba Akili, another member of Black Lives Mater Los Angeles. “We’re exemplifying the kind of community and the kind of
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day after Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de León said he does not plan to quit amid widespread calls for him to step down over his involvement in the City Hall racism scandal, protesters camping out at de León’s Eagle Rock home vowed to remain there until the embattled councilman resigns. Around 10 people in several tents have staged a campout since Sunday, with more protesters expected to join them later Thursday. “If we just lay down and accept it, and say, `He’s not leaving, so let’s all go home and forget about it’ -- that looks terrible on us,” Michael Williams, a protester with Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, told City News Service. Police told the protesters that the tents needed to be at least 300 feet from de León’s home, so the set-up is actually in front of other residents’ homes. But the protesters told CNS on Thursday morning that de León’s neighbors have been supportive of the campout, providing food and water and even allowing them to use showers. “The neighborhood is here,” Williams said. “They’re more willing to have us out here sleeping on their lawns than for him to be on the council. That says a lot, that people are willing to have something like this take place -- and help support it -- than have this man stay on the council.” On Thursday morning, the group had more food and drinks than it could fit on two mediumsized folding tables. There were boxes full of lunch, two Starbucks containers, stacks of Krispy Kreme donuts and early Halloween candy. A water cooler had a paper signed taped to it that read: “Text me when it’s low and I’ll fill you up again!” along with a name and phone number. Signs outside the tents included: “Camp out until de León is out” and “...Just 25 Black people
city that we want to see.” Evy, a 32-year Eagle Rock resident who only provided her first name, observed the campout Thursday morning as she was walking her dog. She lives down the street, and supports the protesters being in the neighborhood as long as they remain peaceful. She said she doesn’t condone
challenges,” de León told CBS2. “And obviously, this is the biggest one I’ve ever been confronted with in my
that our councilman got booted out.” De León’s predecessor, José Huizar, was indicted on federal corruption charges in 2020 and has pleaded not guilty.
life.” The councilman said the city needs to heal, and that he “wants to be part of that.” But Akili said that isn’t possible because de León is the problem. “We are in outrage now not
See Kevin de León Page 5