A community meeting addressing recent fires in Los Angeles turned political on Tuesday when Rabbi Ken Chasen of Leo Baeck Temple opened with a statement criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The meeting, attended by Mayor Karen Bass, focused on the Palisades and Eaton fires but veered into unrelated political territory, sparking mixed reactions.
Rabbi Chasen began by emphasizing the importance of unity, stating, “The politicization of the pain in our communities is immoral,” repeating the phrase for emphasis. However, he followed with remarks criticizing ICE’s presence in the area, saying, “We also believe it will be essential during this week, when ICE has started to show up in our communities, that when we say everyone deserves to be safe in our community, we mean everyone.”
His comments drew applause from some attendees but prompted others, including a local resident and reporter, to walk out in protest.
The meeting’s organizers admitted beforehand that participants were handpicked and questions from the audience would not be permitted, raising concerns about transparency. While the event was framed as an opportunity to address community concerns about the fires, the decision to limit participation left some residents feeling excluded.
Mayor Bass, present at the meeting, did not address Rabbi Chasen’s comments directly but was thanked by the rabbi for her “swift action” in response to the fires. Critics argue that the event’s management and the inclusion of political rhetoric detracted from its primary purpose of addressing fire-related recovery efforts.
The politicization of the meeting drew mixed responses. Some attendees praised the broader message of inclusion, while others criticized the focus on ICE as irrelevant to the immediate concerns of fire survivors. The event highlighted tensions between addressing practical recovery needs and incorporating political messaging into public forums.
As Los Angeles continues to recover from the Palisades and Eaton fires, some residents have called for future meetings to remain focused on disaster response and recovery efforts, avoiding unrelated political topics.
