January 20,2026
City Council
DATE: January 20, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Vice Mayor Cesar Zepeda (sponsor)
Councilmember Jamelia Brown (co-sponsor)
Subject:
Formal Censure of Mayor Eduardo Martinez for
Antisemitic Conduct and for Actions Inconsistent with the Duties and Standards of the Office
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact on receiving this item.
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 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).
DISCUSSION:
AGENDA
REPORT
January 20,2026
To clarify, this is not censorship, this is a censure. Adding this to further clarify; to “censor” mean to remove, block, or interfere with the communication of another. To “censure” on the other hand, means “to find fault with and criticize as blameworthy”, according Merriam-Webster.com
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; and
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 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, in the aftermath of a deadly antisemitic attack, 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 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 rose by 53 percent 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.
Mayor Martinez has amplified antisemitic rhetoric in his LinkedIn account. He shared posts that promoted false-flag conspiracy theories and reposted messages tacitly supporting the October 7 Hamas terror attacks; 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 of Richmond.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time the Mayor Martinez has caused substantial harm, fear, and distress within the Jewish community and undermined public confidence in the
January 20,2026
City’s commitment to protecting marginalized communities, by promoting false-flag conspiracy theories and reposting messages supporting the October 7 Hamas terror attacks.
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.
Councilmembers have received thousands of emails from community members, community leaders, and elected officials from Contra Costa County and the larger Bay Area calling on the Councilmembers for action “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 overwhelming theme of all the messages received by the City Council were that the Richmond community does not feel safe or secure under Mayor Martinez’s leadership and there is a need to take concrete steps to repair the harm and restore trust within the Richmond community, as listed below.
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 is not to infringe on the Mayor’s First Amendment rights to free speech, including political speech, 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; this resolution admonishes rhetoric that distorts or minimizes harm to any people and that such speech is incompatible with the responsibilities of municipal leadership.
The City Council can only express disapproval of the Mayor's conduct and dissociate the City from it, as authorized by the City Charter.
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.
Mayor Martinez has had reasonable notice of this resolution and an opportunity to be heard before its adoption. The City Council has considered Mayor Martinez’s response in deciding to adopt this resolution; and
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;
January 20,2026
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, following the Bondi, Australia massacre 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 Mayor Martinez to:
1. Publicly affirm, through official City channels, his understanding and accountability for the harmful antisemitic content of his online posts;
2. 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 understanding and acknowledgement of harm done, and building a relationship of trust and accountability with leaders of the Richmond Jewish community, within the first calendar quarter of 2026;
3. Participate in a minimum of 16 hours of live training on antisemitism, including how antisemitism interacts with racism, 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. Other Councilmembers should be invited to join in the training should they wish to join;
4. 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 City Councilmembers 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.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution