LA Mayor: Being Mobbed By Rowdy Crowd 'Part Of The Job'
CRENSHAW DISTRICT (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said "it's part of the job," being confronted by angry people. He was referring to being mobbed by members of the activist group Black Lives Matter during a town hall meeting in Jefferson Park Monday night.
"It's not about words, It's about actions. I'm proud of what we've done here," Garcetti told reporters as he attended a groundbreaking ceremony for Kaiser Permanente's medical facility in the Crenshaw District Tuesday. "I'm just going to continue doing the work that I was elected to do."
Monday night's community meeting at Holman United Methodist Church got out of control as dozens of people began shouting at the mayor and rushing toward him.
When he tried to leave the church, being escorted by police officers, the protesters swarmed him and surrounded his car, continuing to chant: "Black lives matter."
One person even jumped on the trunk of Garcetti's car. Police and security officers had to clear a path so the car could be driven away.
Members of Black Lives Matter have been critical of Garcetti over police shootings involving black suspects — most notably the Los Angeles Police Department's fatal officer-involved shooting of Ezell Ford.
The activists want the mayor to fire Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck.
"Sometimes people scream, sometimes people shout," the mayor said. "But as long as I continue to do good work to improve the quality of life for people, to make this a safer community with more jobs like we're doing here today, then I feel a great honor to represent the city."