A “Zoom bomb” attack that included racial, antisemitic and homophobic slurs shut down the Laguna Beach City Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
The interruption — which included a series of speakers who identified themselves by name and said they were residents — occurred during a public comment portion of the meeting.
The city clerk had switched to taking online callers after those who attended the meeting in person had spoken. But multiple commentators, after being called upon, used offensive and profane language and continued to do so despite warnings from the city attorney.
The council ultimately had to adjourn early, while still on the agenda’s second item, a discussion about improvements at the promenade.
“We couldn’t get any business done,” said Mayor Sue Kempf.
“Last night was a stark reminder that civility is key to a functioning government,” Kempf said on Wednesday. “This will not be tolerated. It broke my heart.”
Kempf commended the quick action of City Attorney Megan Garibaldi, who, she said, immediately recognized the deliberate effort to disrupt the meeting. She credited her and the staff’s professionalism.
“Our community deserves a safe, respectful and professional environment in all public meetings,” Kempf said. “Together, we will continue to uphold our values of inclusivity, respect and integrity.”
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The disruptions occurred several times during the meeting, and the city attorney suggested that any people in the room offended by the comments made by the speakers could leave until the comment section was over.
“This is frustrating for the council and the community,” Garibaldi said Tuesday night. “Anyone in the room is welcome to leave until this item is concluded.”
This is not the first incident of Zoom bombing during a Laguna Beach City Council meeting.
In April 2020, hackers were able to get into the city’s system and stream a live sex act into the meeting. The meeting was the city’s first time going virtual after the coronavirus quarantine was issued and City Hall was closed to the public. First to appear were pornographic sketches coupled with profane words written on a “whiteboard” feature that allows users to annotate on a shared screen.