Los Angeles City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Nithya Raman reiterated her demands to oust Police Chief Jim McDonnell. Her call for change stemmed from his management of the federal immigration raids last year. Raman conveyed her message in a video interview, urging viewers to “stop fascist liars.”
Raman, who is challenging Mayor Karen Bass in the upcoming election, criticized both McDonnell and the current mayor. Her disapproval focused on their handling of protests related to federal immigration arrests. The video, lasting ninety seconds, was shared on Instagram by Ed Choi, a content creator. The video was filmed at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, where Raman outlined her initial 100-day plan if elected as mayor. In the video, Raman and Choi claimed, “Only you can stop fascist liars!” An image of Bass accompanied their statement.
Mayor Karen Bass responded by criticizing Raman’s comments, claiming she referred to police officers as “fascist liars.” Bass condemned this rhetoric as dangerous and inappropriate for someone seeking the mayoralty. Nithya Raman had previously voted against police hiring and discussed reducing police funding.
Raman’s spokesperson, Liz Garcia, clarified that Raman’s words targeted federal immigration agents and the previous presidential administration. Garcia stated that claims about Mayor Bass, Chief McDonnell, or LAPD officers were inaccurate. Consequently, they requested the video to be taken down.
The judge highlighted that “the 1st Amendment demands better,” when addressing the use of crowd control weapons.
The LAPD faced legal actions regarding their conduct during protests, particularly concerning the deployment of tear gas and projectiles. A U.S. District Judge intervened, restricting the use of such methods against reporters and peaceful protesters.
Choi, referring to the city’s management as “extremely fascist,” questioned Raman about her strategy to change this environment. Raman emphasized the need for new leadership within the LAPD. She criticized the current chief and mayor for their approach to handling protests.
The video showed Chief McDonnell’s image with an ‘X’ over it. Raman’s campaign concluded the video with her logo and a call to action: “VOTE! And Help De-Fascistize LA!” The imagery was met with disapproval from the Los Angeles Police Protective League, describing it as perilous. They noted that the mayor and chief require security due to constant threats and felt Raman’s video exacerbated these risks.
Mayor Bass has been campaigning vigorously, highlighting her stance against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Her campaign included video footage of her confrontation with immigration agents last year. Bass recently enacted measures prohibiting city property from being used for immigration enforcement purposes. Additionally, she now requires law enforcement to use body cameras during federal immigration actions.
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