The Los Angeles Police Department commission received a number of calls from upset residents during a live-streamed meeting it held on Zoom Tuesday as Police Chief Michel Moore faced calls to resign over controversial remarks he made about the death of George Floyd days ago.
Earlier this week, Moore got heat for comments he made while delivering a public safety update on Monday, during which he condemned local protests that he said involved some demonstrators who had been “either burglarizing or looting, victimizing, businesses further.”
“We didn’t have protests last night. We had criminal acts. We didn’t have people mourning the death of this man, George Floyd. We had people capitalizing. His death is on their hands, as much as it is those officers,” he continued.
Moore later clarified that he felt Floyd’s death “was at the hands of a police officer and the officers who stood by,” according to USA Today, and apologized on Twitter for his initial remarks, saying,“I misspoke when making a statement about those engaging in violent acts following the murder of George Floyd.”
However, that didn’t stop residents upset by his comments from using the Zoom meeting on Tuesday to call for his resignation.
“First things first, Chief Moore, you gotta do a better job at pretending you care about this, man. I’ve been watching you roll your eyes and offer half-hearted smirks acting like a teenager who’s falling asleep in detention,” one caller can be heard telling Moore during the meeting in a clip that has racked up over 911,000 views on Twitter.
The caller then went on to accuse Moore of “equating peaceful protesters with cops who murder black people” and added in his remarks to the commission members, “I know you’re all having a rough day, what with everyone here telling you you’re bad at your jobs. Have you considered being good at your jobs?”
“Mikey, I know you said you didn’t mean protesters are as much to blame for George Floyd’s murders as his murderers,” he went on sarcastically before adding, “That’s a lie, it is what you meant. We all know it.”
In another video that has garnered more than 1.6 million views on Twitter, a caller could be heard cursing at the commission and demanding the police be defunded.
“F— you Michel Moore. I refuse to call you an officer or a chief because you don’t deserve those titles,” he said, adding, “You are a disgrace … I yield my time. F— you!”
Footage of his remarks prompted the phrase “yield my time” to trend on Twitter shortly after on Tuesday.
A caller who identified herself as a 26-year-old black woman from South Central Los Angeles also called on Moore to be fired in a clip that has drawn more than 150,000 views on Twitter, saying, “Let me say this on behalf of my community: We are tired. We have had enough. The police chief needs to resign today and black life cannot be less value than any property.”
At another point during the meeting, according to Newsweek, one caller even said, “Chief Moore you have the most racist eyebrows I have ever seen, keep them still and have some god damn respect while you are being called out.”
The Los Angeles Times reported hundreds of residents called into the meeting on Tuesday. The meeting reportedly drew so many callers at a certain point that it had alter its 500-person limit.