Commentary: It’s time to restore decorum and respect at Huntington Beach City Council meetings

Huntington Beach is a proud and passionate community. City Council meetings are meant to be a public forum and are a vital part of democracy: a place where residents can engage directly with elected officials, voice their concerns, and help shape the direction of our city.

But recent meetings have taken a troubling turn, marked by shouting, heckling, disruption and personal attacks from the podium and the audience. The atmosphere feels more like a battleground than a place of public service.

We’ve seen audience members heckle those they disagree with and disrupt speakers mid-sentence. Several speakers cross the line into disrespect, calling out Council members by name with insults, falsely accusing staff of bad faith, and turning public comment into a platform for division rather than discussion. This is not who we are as a community, and it’s not how we move forward together.

Free speech is the bedrock of American democracy, and every resident has a right to be heard. But with that right comes the responsibility to engage respectfully, listen with open minds and recognize the shared humanity of those we may disagree with. Disagreements on policy are inevitable and even healthy. What’s unhealthy is when discussion turns into shouting, heckling, screaming, personal insults and vulgarity. All of these behaviors cause civil debate to evaporate.

Disagreement is not the issue. Disrespect is. There is a difference between spirited democracy and a toxic environment. Huntington Beach residents are known for being direct, engaged and unafraid to speak out. But when passion veers into hostility, we all lose.

City Hall should be a space where residents, no matter their politics, feel safe to speak and be heard. That only happens when we commit to mutual respect and decorum. There is a clear need to turn down the rhetoric and restore civility during Council meetings. The level of disrespect often on display would be unacceptable in any professional boardroom, and it should be no different in the City Council Chambers.

Let’s do better together.

Butch Twining is a 60-year resident of Huntington Beach and Huntington Beach City Council member.