Hate-filled antisemitic comments distrupting council and board meetings across California

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Far-right extremists and hate groups have taken over the public comment periods at meetings across the state. It wasn't just El Dorado County's Board of Supervisors meeting this week, but it was also the government meetings of Sonoma County, Saratoga, South San Francisco, El Cerrito, Walnut Creek, Sacramento, Monterey, and the list is growing. The comments have harassed officials and disrupted meetings with hate-filled messages targeting racial and ethnic minorities, the LBGTQ+ community, and the Jewish community.

All of the comments are being made via remote programs like Zoom, a common solution to public participation in government made popular during the pandemic, and a practice that has stayed.

A September 23 San Francisco Chronicle headline read, "Bay Area officials say antisemitic ‘Zoombombing’ is derailing local democracy."

Many of the counties are working with law enforcement to address the content of the comments, while others are trying to figure out how to both recognize a person's right to freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment and to eliminate hateful and disruptive comments.

The public comment period of Tuesday's El Dorado County Board of Supervisors' meeting was filled with male callers with complaints over the Board's reversal of a proclamation naming July as American Christian Heritage Month. They then went into vulgar, hateful and anti-semitic diatribes.

"The Board is looking into options to balance the needs of the County to conduct business and the public's First Amendment rights to free speech. to avoid another display by some members of the public which clearly conflict with the County's values," said El Dorado County Director of communications Carla Hass.

Each of the counties and cities that have experienced these recent calls get the same general type of comments, what some are saying is an orchestrated effort.

Sonoma County had a "series of disruptive racist and hate-filled comments at the Sept. 12 regular board meeting and Sept. 19 special board meeting."

To temporarily fix the situation they are now limiting public comment to those in-person only during their meetings. This week the board chair said he anticipated this procedure to be in place until at least the end of the year.

"The change is due to the escalating challenges of maintaining civility among those who participate in the Public Comment portion of the Board meeting via Zoom," said Sonoma County in a statement. "The changes are necessary to enforce the Board’s adopted rules of order and decorum and ensure that the Board meeting is reserved for its intended purpose — for the Board to complete County business."

These challenges include a series of disruptive racist and hate-filled comments at the Sept. 12 regular board meeting and the Sept. 19 special board meeting. The changes are necessary to enforce the Board’s adopted rules of order and decorum and ensure that the Board meeting is reserved for its intended purpose — for the Board to complete County business.

"During an El Cerrito City Council meeting Tuesday, several people spewed racist and antisemitic rhetoric during the public comment period that was so vile, the meeting abruptly ended," according to KTVU News. The mayor cut the meeting short, stating they do not condone hate in El Cerrito.

To date there has been no takeover of remote public comment during South Lake Tahoe City Council meetings. There are protocols that set standards, but they have not regulated the content of public comments.

"I am aware that some of the agencies around the state that have experienced hate speech during public comments are considering no longer providing the option for remote public comment, but we have not experienced any issues with hate speech during remote public comment to date and have not been directed by City Council to make such a change," said South Lake Tahoe City Attorney Heather Stroud.