LOS ANGELES — In Highland Park, longtime resident and voter Valerie Ozeta expressed shock and disappointment after hearing comments from LA City Council candidate Ysabel Jurado regarding the police.
For Ozeta, the issue is deeply personal.
“This issue is extremely personal to me,” Ozeta said, recalling the loss of her brother to gun violence in Highland Park.
She never expected to hear such remarks from a political candidate.
“It was shocking that someone running for office would be so dismissive and disrespectful of our neighborhood’s needs,” she said.
Jurado, a first-time candidate running for District 14, was recorded discussing the possibility of abolishing the police during a recent meet-and-greet with college students at Cal State LA. She later confirmed the audio, explaining that her remarks were a lyric from a protest song about police accountability.
“But it was just a lyric,” Jurado said in a statement. “I’m proud to be accessible to young people, listening to their concerns and treating them like the future leaders they are.”
Ozeta attended a news conference led by the Community Police Advisory Board to denounce Jurado’s comments. However, not everyone in the community shares her view.
Stephanie Luna, a Cal State LA student who was present at the event, defended Jurado, saying she didn’t find the remarks offensive.
“She was quoting a song, and I’ve done the same,” Luna said.
Jurado’s comments referenced a protest song by N.W.A, famous in the ’80s for addressing police brutality. Luna added that Jurado also spoke about the safety concerns in the district, which weren’t included in the audio that was made public.
Jurado’s opponent, incumbent Kevin de León, criticized her stance on police abolition, calling her remarks inappropriate. De León, who himself faced controversy over leaked audio two years ago, argued that public safety and crime are top priorities for Angelenos.
LAPD Interim Chief Dominic Choi condemned the divisive language, and the Police Protective League accused Jurado of revealing her true feelings toward law enforcement. The Community Police Advisory Board has since called for Jurado to drop out of the race and issue an apology.
In response, Jurado stated: “Our community is focused on real issues like putting food on the table, not song lyrics. This campaign is about delivering results, not distractions.”
As Election Day approaches, voters like Luna will ultimately decide if Jurado’s comments will sway their decision on who will represent them in District 14.
Whether these remarks will change the minds of voters remains to be seen.