Council member apologizes following outburst over Gaza testimony

City Council approved more than 100 pieces of legislation Thursday, passing the first municipal budget under Mayor Cherelle Parker, but the most dramatic moment of the session came when a lawmaker stormed out of the chamber during public comment.

Resident Kate Perez, who frequently testifies in Council about the war in the Middle East, was speaking about the destruction in Gaza when Councilmember Cindy Bass asked her to refocus her comments on legislation.

Members of the public are barred from discussing items on Council’s agenda, and Bass said Perez had registered to talk about the budget bill. Bass was filling in for Council President Kenyatta Johnson, who momentarily stepped out.

Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. began shouting at Bass, mentioning “freedom of speech,” in a back-and-forth exchange that was difficult to hear because Jones’s microphone was not activated. He then said, “I’m out,” and walked out of the room.

Reporters followed Jones out of the chamber, and he disappeared into his office with Bass and Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson. The group re-emerged after several minutes, with Bass and Jones holding hands.

He said he was wrong and, later in the meeting, publicly apologized to Bass in and handed her a white rose that had been left on the desks of lawmakers.

“I got emotional, which was out of pocket,” Jones said. “She took me to the woodshed.”

Jones, a Muslim, expressed similar emotions at a session in March, when he became angered that Johnson was not allowing Perez to discuss Gaza. During that incident, Gilmore Richardson made a motion that effectively censured Jones.

Council entered its summer recess Thursday, but Johnson indicated that the body would not be loosening its restrictions on public comment when they return in September.

“The reality is, you have rules for a reason,” he said. Johnson added that he was happy to see Jones apologize.

Multiple speakers on Thursday, and at earlier meetings, have asked Council to adopt a ceasefire resolution. A proposal was floated in April, but ultimately did not gain traction to be introduced.

Lawmakers did take action in October to condemn Hamas’s attack on Israel and call for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Council adopted a pair of resolutions Thursday relating to the Middle East conflict – the first legislation introduced since that initial condemnation.

Nicolas O’Rourke, of the Working Families Party, introduced both, with one honoring and recognizing the efforts of aid workers providing assistance in a dangerous environment.

“Although this Council cannot extend its reach or jurisdiction to shield the children of Gaza from violence, we can at least praise the courage and compassion of those willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, and pray that this war ends tonight,” the legislation says.

The other resolution honored Palestinian Rev. Munther Isaac, pastor of Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem and dean of Bethlehem Bible College. He has been visiting the United States to discuss conditions in Gaza and the West Bank and spoke to lawmakers on Thursday.

“Council members, it is hell on earth in Gaza, literally,” Isaac said. “A genocide is being normalized.”

Pro-Palestine activists in attendance applauded when legislators adopted both resolutions.