CORRECTED: This is an updated version of the article which previously mischaracterized the vote and Councilmember Kaluderovic’s comment.
by Garth Meyer
After a discussion of recent hate speech call-ins during a September 28 Hermosa Beach council meeting, the Redondo Beach council voted 3-2 to continue to allow call-in comments.
The item was raised Tuesday night by Councilmember Paige Kaluderovic, who was present at the Hermosa meeting when several people phoned in racist and anti-semitic remarks during public participation. A day before, she heard a similar call while watching a Malibu council meeting.
Redondo Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr., introduced a motion to suspend Redondo’s remote public input for 12 weeks. Kaluderovic seconded it.
“We can only take broad strokes, disallowing (modes) of speech,” Obagi said, noting that what people say is protected.
Councilman Nils Nehrenheim said he did not think there is a need to suspend the practice.
“Don’t let the haters win,” he said.
“I respect the public’s right to free speech, but I don’t think anonymous callers disrupting our meetings is helpful or useful,” said Kaluderovic. “Especially to the efficiency of our meetings.”
Councilman Scott Behrendt said he was “very reluctant” to cut out what is a “huge part of public participation.”
“Whether cutting off speakers is legal is hard to know,” City Attorney Mike Webb said. “Don’t just assume it would be legal to cut off the microphone because of what they’re saying… You have to pick the lesser evil,” Webb said.
“I don’t want to pull the mic on our residents,” Behrendt said.
Mayor Pro-Tem Todd Loewenstein noted that he is Jewish, and his wife is Hispanic.
“(The speech) offends me, but that doesn’t mean someone else shouldn’t hear something because I don’t like it,” he said.
Obagi amended his motion to allow remote participation by councilmembers during a 12-week pause.
Kaluderovic and Obagi voted in favor, with Nehrenheim, Loewenstein and Obagi against. ER
