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Multiple Lakewood residents urge council to condemn U.S. weapons transfers to Israel and call for a ceasefire resolution
Summary
Several residents used general public comment at the April 14 Lakewood City Council meeting to urge the council to pass a resolution condemning U.S. weapons transfers to Israel and calling for a ceasefire; speakers included a resident who cited travel and medical aid work in Gaza.
Several Lakewood residents addressed the city council on April 14 urging local officials to pass a resolution condemning American weapons transfers to Israel and backing calls for a ceasefire.
Brad Bruce, a resident, told the council he was “horrified” that U.S. senators had voted to allow an $8,560,000,000 weapons transfer and said, “Israel is committing a genocide using weapons sent by our president, approved by our senators and congresswomen, paid for with our tax dollars.” Bruce asked the council to “please pass a resolution condemning the use of American weapons in Palestine and condemn our federal representatives for voting in favor of these atrocities.”
Arnie Carter, a Ward 3 resident, also urged the council to act, calling detained immigrants and others he described as “political prisoners” and saying, “We have to come together. We have to pass a resolution. Do everything we can to stop all this fascism.”
A physician who identified themself as a healthcare worker and said they had traveled to Gaza described conditions in hospitals there, detailed injuries they treated and the destruction of medical facilities. The physician told the council, “This is the war in Palestine is not just against the infrastructure, but directly against the people in Palestine. And, unfortunately, the victims are most frequently children.” The speaker said they risked their life to treat patients and asked council members to use their influence to help.
Speakers repeatedly framed their remarks as requests for the council to take a formal stance or pass a resolution condemning U.S. weapons transfers and supporting a ceasefire. The council did not take formal action on the requests during the meeting as recorded in the transcript.
The comments came during the council’s general public comment period; multiple residents from different wards addressed the council on the topic.
The council did not debate or vote on any resolution related to these requests during the meeting portion provided in the transcript.
