![\"Oakland](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/oakland-city-councilman-ken-houston-117619671.jpg\")
Oakland city councilman Ken Houston claimed he was elected for his aggressive style. Twiiter\/X<\/p>\nAn Oakland city councilman is under fire for giving a one-finger salute to speakers at a testy public safety meeting \u2014 and refused to apologize for the crude gesture, saying he doesn\u2019t \u201cgive a rip\u201d if he\u2019s recalled over the incident. <\/p>\n
Hotheaded East Oakland rep Ken Houston was caught on camera giving a not-so-subtle middle finger to residents speaking out against a plan to add Flock surveillance cameras to fight crime at a Tuesday meeting, and was quickly called out by attendees. <\/p>\n
Oakland city councilman Ken Houston claimed he was elected for his aggressive style. Twiiter\/X<\/p>\n
\u201cThe people that voted me in office voted me to be who I am, and that\u2019s what I\u2019m going to be, and if they don\u2019t like it, recall me, because I don\u2019t give a rip,\u201d Houston told KPIX<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cWant to give a big shout out to Ken Houston. Do you think we didn\u2019t notice you flipping off the audience from your seat just now?\u201d said one unidentified speaker.<\/p>\n Asked by KPIX if the gesture was on purpose, the self-described \u201cson of Oakland\u201d doubled down. <\/p>\n \u201cYes, I did. Because I\u2019m always like this,\u201d Houston told the outlet.<\/p>\n Houston claimed he was elected for his aggressive style, and his Instagram account is replete with in-your-face videos of him ranting about the piles of filth littering his district<\/a>, confronting political foes<\/a>, and arguing with protesters.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tNeed West Coast news? The California Post is coming soon.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet in early. Sign up for our weekly newsletter before our 2026 launch.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re in the wrong place, f\u2014king with me,\u201d he shouted at protesters in a video unearthed by KPIX. <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t give a f\u2014!\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not a politician, and I\u2019m not going to let people talk down to me or talk to me like I\u2019m nothing, because if they can say F me. I\u2019m going to say F you too,\u201d Houston told the outlet.<\/p>\n Houston was among the seven councilmembers who voted in favor of a roughly $2 million contract with Flock safety to continue using their public safety cameras, which have been credited with helping to solve crimes in neighboring San Francisco<\/a>.<\/p>\n Some of Houston\u2019s colleagues aren\u2019t thrilled with his conduct, with fellow council member Carrol Fife comparing his macho antics to President Donald Trump. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s mirroring what\u2019s happening at the federal level, with the level of discourse, and I don\u2019t think we should engage in that way,\u201d Fife told KPIX. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t