January 6, 2026
City Council
DATE: January 6, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Vice Mayor Cesar Zepeda (sponsor)
Councilmember Jamelia Brown (co-sponsor)
Subject:
Adopt a resolution of the Richmond City Council formally censuring Mayor Eduardo Martinez for antisemitic conduct and for actions inconsistent with the duties and standards of the office
FINANCIAL IMPACT: None.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
Adopt a resolution of the Richmond City Council formally censuring Mayor Eduardo Martinez for antisemitic conduct and for actions inconsistent with the duties and standards of the office. The content shared by the Mayor echoed
widely recognized antisemitic tropes, including collective blame and conspiracy narratives, and failed to distinguish between the actions of a government and Jewish people
as a group.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution of the Richmond City Council formally censuring Mayor Eduardo Martinez for antisemitic conduct and for actions inconsistent with the duties and standards of the office Vice Mayor Cesar Zepeda (510 -620-6593),
Councilmember Jamelia Brown (510-412-2050).
AGENDA
REPORT
Submitted as an Emergency Item on 1/06/2026 at
5:00 pm
January 6, 2026
DISCUSSION:
Under Article III-A, Sec.2.a. of the Richmond Charter, the Mayor shall be “responsible for providing civic leadership”… “shall be concerned with the general development of the community and the general level of City services and activity programs and may develop and inform City residents of policies and programs which he or she believes are necessary for the welfare of the City.”
The Mayor of the City of Richmond is therefore entrusted with a unique leadership role that carries heightened responsibility to uphold the principles of inclusion, mutual respect, and the safety of all residents, and to avoid conduct that legitimizes or amplifies hatred or discrimination.
Antisemitism is a well-documented and persistent form of hatred that includes conspiracy theories, collective blame, and the baseless attribution of violence or social harm to Jewish people or Jewish identity, whether explicitly or implicitly.
In December 2025, following a violent antisemitic attack, in Bondi Beach, Australia, targeting a Jewish religious celebration, in which there were 15 victims, the youngest, a 10-year-old and the oldest an 87-year old Holocaust survivor were killed, Mayor Eduardo Martinez shared and amplified social media content that advanced conspiracy theories and generalized claims attributing responsibility for antisemitism and violence against Jews.
The content shared by the Mayor echoed widely recognized antisemitic tropes, including collective blame and conspiracy narratives, and failed to distinguish between the actions of a government and Jewish people as a group.
The 2024, antisemitic incidents reached record highs across the United States. Locally, a survey conducted found that 42% of Bay Area Jews reported witnessing or experiencing antisemitism in the past year. Statewide, anti -Jewish hate crimes rose by 53% in 2023, according to the California Department of Justice. The Mayor’s messaging further compromises safety of the Jewish community in Richmond and in the greater Bay Area.
The dissemination of such content by the Mayor of Richmond, in the aftermath of a deadly antisemitic attack, caused substantial harm, fear, and distress within the Jewish community and undermined public confidence in the City’s commitment to protecting marginalized communities.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time Mayor Martinez has amplified antisemitic rhetoric in his LinkedIn account. He has promoted false- flag conspiracy theories to tacitly supporting the October 7 Hamas terror attacks.
January 6, 2026
Jewish community organizations, civil rights groups, faith leaders, and residents have unequivocally identified the Mayor’s actions as antisemitic in effect and have stated that such rhetoric contributes to an unsafe and hostile environment for Jewish residents.
Over 80 elected officials and community leaders from Contra Costa County and the larger Bay Area have called for Mayor Martinez to resign, should he be unwilling or unable to take concrete steps to repair the harm and restore trust, as listed below.
Councilmembers have received thousands of emails calling for the Mayor to resign, some, in part to “the Richmond community does not feel safe or secure under Mayor Martinez’s leadership”.
Councilmembers have received thousands of emails requesting formal removal or impeachment against Mayor Martinez, i.e., “for conduct that has substantially violated the public trust, caused demonstrable harm to members of the community, and appears inconsistent with the ethical and professional standards required of an elected official”.
The City of Richmond has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to opposing antisemitism and all forms of hate, including through prior resolutions, public statements, and community initiatives.
This resolution does not take a stand on geopolitical conflicts, rather it recognizes political critique of a government’s actions is not synonymous with, and must never be treated as, an endorsement of harm or violence against people while criticism of th e policies or actions of any government is protected and legitimate, rhetoric that assigns collective blame, promotes conspiratorial thinking, or minimizes violence against a people based on religion or ethnicity is incompatible with the responsibilities of municipal leadership.
The Mayor is an elected official and the City Council has limited authority to hold him to account, lacking authority to remove him from office under the City Charter but the council does have authority to express its disapproval of his conduct and to disassociate the City from it.
Although Mayor Martinez’s LinkedIn account is no longer publicly accessible and he has issued an apology, the harm caused by the original conduct has not been repaired and warrants formal accountability by the City Council.
Richmond City Council hereby:
1. Finds and declares that Mayor Eduardo Martinez’s continuous actions in sharing and amplifying the referenced content constituted antisemitic conduct, based on the nature, context, and impact of the material shared;
2. Formally censures Mayor Eduardo Martinez for engaging in conduct that reinforced antisemitic narratives, caused harm to the Jewish community, and fell below the standards of care, judgment, and responsibility required of the Mayor’s office;
January 6, 2026
3. Unequivocally condemns the statements Mayor Martinez recirculated and disavows them on behalf of the city and the community it serves;
4. Unequivocally condemns antisemitism, including conspiracy theories, collective blame, and rhetoric that normalizes or excuses violence against Jewish people, and affirms that such conduct has no place in Richmond’s;
5. Calls upon the Mayor to:
a) Publicly reaffirm, through actions as well as words, his opposition to antisemitism and to undertake meaningful engagement; facilitated by a neutral third party, between the Mayor and impacted members of the Richmond Jewish community, that includes Temple Beth Hillel of Richmond as the only synagogue located in Richmond, and is focused on acknowledgement of harm, accountability, and community healing, within the first calendar quarter of 2026;
b) Take a minimum of 16 hours of live training, not recording, of antisemitism training and no less than 6 hours of cultural sensitivity and unconscious bias training, by no later than March 31, 2026; given the sensitivity of the issue, it is essential that antisemitism training be led by an organization with a strong track record, clear expertise in antisemitism, and broad communal trust. Trainings must incorporate the goal of building understanding and confidence; therefore, the training modules should be selected in consultation with Richmond Temple Beth Hillel; c) Defer the equivalent of his last pay raise, for 6 months, beginning February, to be donated to a non-profit whose purpose is to benefit Richmond by bringing communities together, to be chosen by the Mayor in consultation with Temple Beth Hillel leadership. Work with the City Manager and Finance to direct payment.
d) Remove himself from all Regional Committees for one year, in order to focus his work on Richmond and repairing community trust; e) Take the time to reflect on his actions and honestly analyze if he is able to continue leading our city fairly and equitably for all of our residents.
6. Calls on all elected officials to exercise heighten care in public communications and to recognize their responsibility not only for statements they issue, but also for content they knowingly share or amplify, especially during times of crisis or violence and the real-world consequences such content can have on vulnerable communities.
7. Directs that this Resolution be entered into the permanent official record of the City of Richmond and publicly posted and disseminated in accordance with City policy.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 - Resolution
Reso. No. _____
RESOLUTION NO. ______-26
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND,
CALIFORNIA, FORMALLY CENSURING MAYOR EDUARDO MARTINEZ FOR
ANTISEMITIC CONDUCT AND FOR ACTIONS INCONSISTENT WITH THE DUTIES
AND STANDARDS OF THE OFFICE
WHEREAS, under Article III- A, Sec.2.a. of the Richmond Charter, t he Mayor shall be “responsible for providing civic leadership”… “shall be concerned with the general development of the community and the general level of City services and activity programs and may develop and inform City residents of policies and programs which he or she believes are necessary for the welfare of the City”; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor of the City of Richmond is therefore entrusted with a unique leadership role that carries heightened responsibility to uphold the principles of inclusion, mutual respect, and the safety of all residents, and to avoid conduct that legitimizes or am plifies hatred or discrimination; and
WHEREAS, antisemitism is a well- documented and persistent form of hatred that includes conspiracy theories, collective blame, and the baseless attribution of violence or social harm to Jewish people or Jewish identity, whether explicitly or implicitly; and
WHEREAS, in December 2025, following a violent antisemitic attack, in Bondi Beach, Australia, targeting a Jewish religious celebration, in which 15 victims, the youngest, a 10- year-old and the oldest an 87- year old Holocaust survivor, were killed, Mayor Eduardo Mart inez shared and amplified social media content that advanced conspiracy theories and generalized claims attributing responsibility for antisemitism and violence against Jews; and
WHEREAS, the content shared by the Mayor echoed widely recognized antisemitic tropes, including collective blame and conspiracy narratives, and failed to distinguish between the actions of a government and Jewish people as a group; and
WHEREAS, the 2024 antisemitic incidents have recently reached record highs across the United States. Locally, a survey conducted found that 42% of Bay Area Jews reported witnessing or experiencing antisemitism in the past year. Statewide, anti- Jewish hate crimes ros e by 53% in 2023, according to the California Department of Justice. The Mayor’s messaging further compromises safety of the Jewish community in Richmond and in the greater Bay Area; and
WHEREAS, the dissemination of such content by the Mayor of Richmond, in the aftermath of a deadly antisemitic attack, caused substantial harm, fear, and distress within the Jewish community and undermined public confidence in the City’s commitment to protecting marginalized communities; and
WHEREAS, unfortunately, this is not the first time Mayor Martinez has amplified antisemitic rhetoric in his LinkedIn account. He has promoted false -flag conspiracy theories and reposted messages tacitly supporting the October 7 Hamas terror attacks; and
WHEREAS, Jewish community organizations, civil rights groups, faith leaders, and residents have unequivocally identified the Mayor’s actions as antisemitic in effect and have stated that such rhetoric contributes to an unsafe and hostile environment for Jewish residents; and
WHEREAS, over 80 elected officials and community leaders from Contra Costa County and the larger Bay Area have called for Mayor Martinez to resign, should he be unwilling or unable to take concrete steps to repair the harm and restore trust, as listed below; and
WHEREAS, Councilmembers have received thousands of emails calling for the Mayor to resign, some, in part because the Richmond community does not feel safe or secure under Mayor Martinez’s leadership; and
WHEREAS, Councilmembers have received thousands of emails requesting formal removal or impeachment against Mayor Martinez, i.e., “for conduct that has substantially violated the public
Reso. No. _____
trust, caused demonstrable harm to members of the community, and appears inconsistent with the ethical and professional standards required of an elected official”; and
WHEREAS, the City of Richmond has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to opposing antisemitism and all forms of hate, including through prior resolutions, public statements, and community initiatives; and
WHEREAS, this resolution does not take a stand on geopolitical conflicts, rather it recognizes political critique of a government’s actions is not synonymous with, and must never be treated as, an endorsement of harm or violence against people; while criticism of th e policies or actions of any government is protected and legitimate, rhetoric that assigns collective blame, promotes conspiratorial thinking, or minimizes violence against a people based on religion or ethnicity is incompatible with the responsibilities of municipal leadership; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor is an elected official and the City Council has limited authority to hold him to account, lacking authority to remove him from office under the City Charter, but the Council does have authority to express its disapproval of his conduct and to disa ssociate the City from it; and
WHEREAS, although Mayor Martinez’s LinkedIn account is no longer publicly accessible and he has issued an apology, the harm caused by the original conduct has not been repaired and warrants formal accountability by the City Council; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Martinez has had reasonable notice of this resolution and an opportunity to be heard before its adoption; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has considered Mayor Martinez’s response in deciding to adopt this resolution; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
that the Richmond City Council hereby:
1. Finds and declares that Mayor Eduardo Martinez’s continuous actions in sharing and amplifying the referenced content constituted antisemitic conduct, based on the nature, context, and impact of the material shared;
2. Formally censures Mayor Eduardo Martinez for engaging in conduct that reinforced antisemitic narratives, caused harm to the Jewish community, and fell below the standards of care, judgment, and responsibility required of the Mayor’s office;
3. Unequivocally condemns the statements Mayor Martinez recirculated and disavows them on behalf of the City and the community it serves;
4. Unequivocally condemns antisemitism, including conspiracy theories, collective blame, and rhetoric that normalizes or excuses violence against Jewish people, and affirms that such conduct has no place in Richmond;
5. Calls upon the Mayor to:
a) Publicly reaffirm, through actions as well as words, his opposition to antisemitism and to undertake meaningful engagement; facilitated by a neutral third party, between the Mayor and impacted members of the Richmond Jewish community, that includes Temple Beth Hillel of Richmond as the only synagogue located in Richmond, and is focused on acknowledgement of harm, accountability, and community healing, within the first calendar quarter of 2026; b) Take a minimum of 16 hours of live training, not recording, of antisemitism training and no less than 6 hours of cultural sensitivity and unconscious bias training, by no later than March 31, 2026; given the sensitivity of the issue, it is essential that antisemitism training be led by an organization with a strong track record, clear expertise in antisemitism, and broad communal trust. Trainings must incorporate the goal of building understanding and confidence; therefore, the training modules should be selected in consultation with Richmond Temple Beth Hillel;
c) Defer the equivalent of his last pay raise, for 6 months, beginning February of 2026, to be donated to a non-profit whose purpose is to benefit Richmond by bringing communities together, to be chosen by the Mayor in consultation with
Reso. No. _____
Temple Beth Hillel leadership. Work with the City Manager and Finance to direct payment;
d) Remove himself from all Regional Committees for one year, in order to focus his work on Richmond and repairing community trust; and
e) Take the time to reflect on his actions and honestly analyze if he is able to continue leading our city fairly and equitably for all of our residents.
6. Calls on all elected officials to exercise heightened care in public communications and to recognize their responsibility not only for statements they issue, but also for content they knowingly share or amplify, especially during times of crisis or violence and the real-world consequences such content can have on vulnerable communities.
7. Directs that this Resolution be entered into the permanent official record of the City of Richmond and publicly posted and disseminated in accordance with City policy.
******************
***THE CLERK’S OFFICE WILL COMPLETE THE INFORMATION BELOW****
I certify that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Richmond at a regular meeting thereof held on January 6, 2026, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
CLERK OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND
(SEAL)
Approved:
Mayor
Approved as to Form:
Interim City Attorney
State of California }
County of Contra Costa : ss.
City of Richmond }
I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of Resolution No. _____, finally passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Richmond at a regular meeting held on January 6, 2026.
_______________________________________
Pamela Christian, Clerk of the City of Richmond