Councilmember Kevin de León showed up in the Los Angeles City Council chambers on Friday morning, appearing briefly at a council meeting for the first time since fallout from a racist leaked audio tape roiled the city in mid-October.
The question of when — or if — De León would return had loomed large at City Hall for nearly two months. His name was frequently invoked even as his seat remained empty, with protesters regularly interrupting the thrice-weekly meetings to demand his resignation.
De León, who apologized in the wake of the tape, has been adamant that he has no plans to resign. He began to quietly reenter the public sphere about a month ago, attending food giveaways, holiday meals and other community events but remained absent in council chambers until Friday morning.
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The Los Angeles City Council went into recess after Councilmember Kevin de León showed up at the council meeting Friday morning during public comment.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Protestors speak during public comment in City Council chambers on Friday.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Councilmember Kevin de León, who returned to City Council chambers after a two-month absence, was greeted by protesters and supporters.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Jason Reedy, a People’s City Council organizer, gives L.A. leaders an earful during Friday’s meeting while holding a baby wrapped in a sling.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department stand guard in City Council chambers during a recess Friday.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de León returns to council chambers after a two-month absence after the fallout of the leaked audio scandal.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
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Jason Reedy, a People’s City Council organizer, walks down the aisle of council chambers with a baby on Friday.
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Myung J. Chun has been a photographer with the Los Angeles Times since 1999. He started as a still photographer and then moved to videography from 2007 to 2018. Chun won an Emmy in 2011 for his work on a multimedia project about innocent victims of gang violence. He previously worked for the Los Angeles Daily News, a position he started in 1988 while attending Cal State Northridge.