San Francisco Ends Virtual Meetings After People Keep Zoom-Bombing Them With Anti-Semitic Comments

A COVID-era policy permitting remote public commentary at meetings of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors has come to an end following racist and anti-semitic comments made during a meeting last month.

On Tuesday, by an 8-3 vote, the city's Board of Supervisors ended public commentary via phone or Zoom. The move comes after the board's Sept. 26 meeting was disrupted by callers using profanity and making discriminatory remarks.

The sole exceptions will be seniors and people with disabilities who can't be present for the board's gatherings.

One of the callers last month urged the board to do something about "discrimination against white people" before referencing a Jewish slur.

Another speaker brought up the state's plan to pay out reparations for slavery, and said that "white Europeans shouldn't have to pay reparations."

A city council meeting in Beaverton, Oregon, last week faced a similar issue. The meeting was flooded with dozens of phone calls that spewed conspiratorial and racist views, leading the city’s mayor to believe the culprits were using artificial intelligence.

San Francisco board president Aaron Peskin said at last month's meeting he'd be introducing a rule change barring call-in commentary.

The measure was opposed by Supervisors Dean Preston, Joel Engardio and Myrna Melgar, who asked that alternatives be considered.

Supervisor Shamann Walton, who supported the rule change, noted it would not "have a negative effect on people with disabilities and will not have a negative effect on seniors."

Walton said the rule change was also necessary as he believes some of last month's calls were made from states like "Florida or Texas."