Los Angeles council member involved in fight with activist
A Los Angeles City Council member was involved in a fight with an activist at a holiday event Friday night
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A Los Angeles City Council member was involved in a fight with an activist at a holiday event Friday night.
The altercation involving Kevin de LeĆ³n occurred at a toy giveaway and holiday tree lighting at Lincoln Park, the Los Angeles Times reported.
LeĆ³n said in a statement to the newspaper that he was assaulted, while activists said the council member was the aggressor.
The Times reported two local activist organizations, RootsAction and J-TOWN Action and Solidarity, posted a video on Twitter showing a portion of the incident between De LeĆ³n and a man identified as Jason Reedy, a Peopleās City Council organizer.
De LeĆ³nās office said Reedy and other activists were at fault. De LeĆ³n spokesperson Pete Brown said the council member was head-butted by Reedy, a member of his staff was elbowed in the face and a volunteer was punched in the arm, the Times reported.
De LeĆ³n's statement to the Times said they were āviolently and physically assaulted by self-proclaimed activists at a community holiday event to the dismay of a multitude of families and children who were there to celebrate a Christmas tree lighting and to receive toys and food.ā
āThe escalating rhetoric is hitting a fever pitch, transcending from verbal threats into actual acts of violence and must end before more serious harm or loss of life occurs,ā the statement said. āViolence is not free speech and has no place in politics or democracy.ā
Shakeer Rahman, an attorney representing Reedy, called De LeĆ³n āa disgraceā in a statement to the Times Friday night.
āVideo footage clearly shows him and his supporters initiating this assault while Mr. Reedy stands prone,ā Rahman said. āNot only has Kevin de LeĆ³n lost all political legitimacy, his claims that he was the one attacked here simply underscores how heās lost touch with reality.ā
Earlier on Friday, De LeĆ³n attended his first City Council meeting in nearly two months following a scandal over racist remarks by elected officials.