More than a hundred residents descended on City Hall last week for an intense public comment session, demanding that local elected officials take action after 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who had been in the country for 35 years, was killed by U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents during a traffic stop July 7 in Magnolia Park.
In response, Whitmire chided some residents’ usage of foul language and asked for council members’ help in maintaining decorum.
“Apparently, that didn’t work,” Whitmire said after the chamber was cleared Tuesday.
Only about a dozen speakers showed up Tuesday to speak about ICE, but they dominated the end of the proceedings, erupting into chants of “Justice for Lorenzo;” “Mayor Whitmire haven’t you heard, the people have the final word;” “Do your job;” and “ICE out of Houston.”
Some who stood up on the padded City Hall chamber seats to give impassioned speeches were removed. All protesters eventually were escorted out by police.
Two people were detained, one of whom was dragged out of the chamber by officers and handcuffed in the hallway. Neither will face charges, Whitmire said Tuesday.
After the chamber cleared, the mayor told the audience that he understood the emotion the protestors were feeling.
“Obviously, the purpose of some was to disrupt it, shut it down. They weren’t successful. We were patient,” Whitmire said, continuing, “If we all will be respectful, it will be much more respectful of (Salgado’s) family.”