SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Tuesday evening's Sacramento City Council meeting ended early when protesters of the police department's armored vehicle purchase shouted over officials as public comments came to a close.
Vice Mayor Eric Guerra told the protesters he would clear the chambers if they continued disrupting the meeting—and he did just that at 6:08 p.m.
Many residents came out against Sacramento officials who approved the police department's purchase of 'The Rook' Jan. 31.
Councilmember Caity Maple would go on to issue an apology to her constituency over her 'yes' vote, as many pointed out her previous statements against such vehicle purchases.
Maple published an editorial in The Sacramento Bee Wednesday walking back her previous apology, stating she was elected to represent her community and make difficult decisions.
She described the negative social media attention as harassment and stressed 'The Rook' is not a "tank."
"I do not support tanks being used by our police force," she wrote in the editorial. "I hope that we can change the dynamics of our discourse and seek to understand rather than tear one another down."
A handful of protesters heckled public speakers and councilmembers throughout the first hour of Tuesday's meeting before Guerra ended the meeting as outbursts erupted during Councilmember Katie Valenzuela's comments.
"Y'all are a hot mess up there," one of the protesters said to councilmembers Tuesday.
Protesters said they planned to return to the next Sacramento City Council meeting to continue speaking out against the police department's purchase of 'The Rook'.
