A newly-elected Los Angeles city councillor who campaigned on a pledge to abolish the police has been left red-faced after a staff member rang the LAPD to request protection for his broken-down car.
Hugo Soto-Martinez, a trade union activist and member of the Democratic Socialist party, was elected in December.
Soto-Martinez campaigned against ‘armed militias occupying our neighborhoods,’ saying that the existing policing system was ‘completely corrupt, immoral, and needs to be changed drastically.’
On Thursday night, a member of his team placed a call to the LAPD just before 10pm requesting assistance, because Soto-Martinez’s white Lexus had broken down.
Hugo Soto-Martinez’s office said the newly-elected council member was ‘very upset’ that a member of his team called the LAPD to protect his broken-down car
‘Extra patrol throughout the night for parked white Lexus belonging to councilmember,’ the LAPD request noted.
‘Veh broken down.’
Angelenos immediately seized on the irony, noting that Soto-Martinez campaigned on a platform of abolishing the LAPD.
On a candidate questionnaire, he ticked ‘yes’ to defunding the police, removing police from schools, and defunding the California Highway Patrol.
‘When I say I consider myself an abolitionist, I want to clarify that I believe in the eventual goal of abolishing the current system of policing, and replacing it with something focused on the actual root causes of crime,’ he wrote on the questionnaire.
‘In short, I believe in caring for our communities, instead of violently oppressing our neighbors.’
He advocated redistributing existing funds, noting: ‘There are also opportunities to be had in connecting the redistribution of police money to other public sector unions’.
Soto-Martinez’s white Lexus is seen parked outside the offices
Soto-Martinez, in a candidate questionnaire, confirmed he wanted to defund and ultimately abolish the police
‘Until we have properly funded the things that actually stop crime, instead of spending all our money throwing guys with guns at social problems, there are some steps we can take to remove armed officers from all calls that do not present an immediate threat of gun violence.
‘The current system is completely corrupt, immoral, and needs to be changed drastically.
‘Police officers are trained to be warriors and go into the streets to deal with issues that should be reserved for social workers.’
Soto-Martinez, asked about the request, was furious.
‘It’s come to our attention that a deputy staffer had some contact with the LAPD regarding his personal vehicle,’ a spokesman told Fox 11.
‘We are investigating this matter internally and will be taking appropriate action.
‘Council Member Soto-Martinez is very upset as this does not reflect the values of transparency, responsible governance and being accountable to the community that elected him.’
