LA City Council prohibits N-word and C-word during public meetings

Los Angeles City Council Implements Slur Ban Amid Controversy

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles City Council passed a measure prohibiting the use of the N-word and C-word during public meetings. This decision has ignited debates over free speech and could potentially lead to lawsuits totaling around $400 million.

The vote, which was contentious, empowers council leadership to issue warnings regarding any utterance or variations of these slurs. Those who repeatedly violate this rule could face expulsion from the meetings and be barred from future sessions.

Council President Markey Harris Dawson, who is Black and spearheaded the initiative, stated that the use of these slurs has deterred residents from participating in meetings. “It’s language that hurts,” he remarked, emphasizing the damaging impact of such words outside the confines of the council chambers.

According to Harris Dawson, since Donald Trump’s election in 2016, the tone of public comments has become increasingly “harsh and humiliating.” This observation aligns with concerns from various community members about the overall atmosphere during meetings.

The legality of the Wednesday ban is already being challenged. Wayne Spindler, a lawyer and outspoken city hall regular, announced plans to file a lawsuit in response. “I’m preparing a $400 million lawsuit,” he claimed, indicating he would read explicit lyrics from Tupac Shakur in protest of the new rule.

In a previous incident in 2016, Spindler was arrested for actions that involved a public comment displaying a burning cross—though charges were not pursued.

David Roy, from the First Amendment Coalition, warned that the council’s new policies are unlikely to withstand judicial scrutiny. He highlighted that the government cannot censor speech just because it finds it objectionable, reinforcing the principles established under the First Amendment.

The city has faced legal challenges before; back in 2014, it paid $215,000 to settle a case involving a man removed for wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood during a meeting.