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Calls mount for end to political violence
Community leaders across the Bay Area rallied outside Hayward City Hall to denounce political violence and call for greater civility and respect in public discourse.
HAYWARD, Calif. - Speakers from across the Bay Area gathered outside Hayward City Hall on Tuesday to denounce partisan hate and criminal acts, calling for civility and respect in political discourse.
"Stop political violence!" the crowd chanted.
Calls for respect and free speech
What they're saying:
Edward Escobar, founder of the Coalition for Community Engagement, said too many people are being silenced by intimidation.
"They are being intimidated and bullied out of existence, and this cannot be allowed to happen," Escobar said.
He said lost in the rhetoric is the fact that mutual respect and free speech are bedrock principles.
"Everyone is entitled to be heard, and no one should be shutting down anyone else," Escobar said.
Man charged after racist death threats to Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee
A 45-year-old man faces hate crime charges after allegedly sending threatening and racist emails to Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, including threats to kill and torture her, authorities said.
Hate crime charges spark outrage
Why you should care:
The rally came days after David Pokorny, 45, was charged by Alameda County prosecutors with a hate crime and threatening a public official. He allegedly sent racist death threats by email to Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee.
In one message, Pokorny allegedly wrote, "You are a psychopath, and I'm going to torture and murder you."
Authorities said Pokorny also called Black people "enemy combatants" and "an unhealthy pest."
Concerned staffers, including members of Lee’s executive protection team, alerted Oakland police, whose intelligence unit joined the investigation.
Leaders demand civility in politics
Big picture view:
Milpitas Mayor Carmen Montano condemned the threats against Lee.
"I am so sad that Mayor Barbara Lee was already threatened," Montano said. "That is not acceptable. We need to have civility come back to democracy."
Santa Clara County prosecutor Daniel Chung agreed.
"That's criminal. That's reprehensible. We should be morally outraged by incidents like that," Chung said.
He said people can't be selective in their outrage.
"Whether it's left, right, blue, red, we have to stand behind people and fight for them, and we have to say this is not OK," Chung said.
Speakers referenced other recent acts of political violence, including the hammer attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump; and the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who would have turned 32 on Tuesday.
"We're calling upon all elected officials to make the environment safe within your city borders," Escobar said. "That’s why you were elected. The electorate has spoken."
Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan
The Source: KTVU reporting, Oakland police, Alameda County DA's office