A Los Angeles City Council member was concerned in a combat with an activist at a vacation occasion Friday night time.
The altercation involving Kevin de León occurred at a toy giveaway and vacation tree lighting at Lincoln Park, the Los Angeles Times reported.
León stated in a press release to the newspaper that he was assaulted, whereas activists stated the council member was the aggressor.
The Times reported two native activist organizations, RootsAction and J-TOWN Action and Solidarity, posted a video on Twitter displaying a portion of the incident between De León and a person recognized as Jason Reedy, a People’s City Council organizer.
De León’s workplace stated Reedy and different activists had been at fault. De León spokesperson Pete Brown stated the council member was head-butted by Reedy, a member of his employees was elbowed within the face and a volunteer was punched within the arm, the Times reported.
De León’s assertion to the Times stated they had been “violently 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.”
“The 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,” the assertion stated. “Violence is not free speech and has no place in politics or democracy.”
Shakeer Rahman, an lawyer representing Reedy, known as De León “a disgrace” in a press release to the Times Friday night time.
“Video footage clearly shows him and his supporters initiating this assault while Mr. Reedy stands prone,” Rahman stated. “Not only has Kevin de León lost all political legitimacy, his claims that he was the one attacked here simply underscores how he’s lost touch with reality.”
Earlier on Friday, De León attended his first City Council assembly in almost two months following a scandal over racist remarks by elected officers.