Local leaders on Thursday spoke out against antisemitic social media posts that Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez reportedly shared after a deadly attack during Hanukkah in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 14.
In a statement, Richmond City Councilmember Jamilia Brown said she supports Martinez’s resignation. She said the mayor’s actions are continuing to harm the Jewish community and require immediate accountability.
“While, as a City Council, we cannot vote the mayor out of office…the only paths forward are for him to voluntarily resign or for the public to pursue a recall or election process,” Brown said. “Acknowledging that reality does not absolve the council of our responsibility to speak truthfully about the harm being caused right now.”
Brown said Martinez has had plenty of time to change his behavior but instead has made statements she believes have caused more harm. She dismissed arguments that the issue should wait until the next election, saying no community should have to endure continued harm.
“The Jewish community deserves that same urgency, clarity, and protection,” she said.
Brown also pointed to what she called a wider pattern of poor leadership, including what she described as the mayor’s limited public response to rising gun violence in Richmond.
“Based on his proven track record of continued negligence… I believe he has done enough for me to support his resignation,” she said.
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia condemned the posts and urged the Richmond City Council to take formal action.
“The recent social media posts by Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez, which spread false conspiracy theories about the horrific terror event in Australia and blamed Jews for the killings, are deeply offensive, disrespectful, anti-semitic and unacceptable,” Gioia said in a statement. He asked Martinez to give a sincere public apology at the next City Council meeting and urged the council to formally censure him.
Richmond City Council District 3 candidate Brandon Evans also called for the mayor’s resignation, saying Martinez’s behavior was unacceptable.
“The mayor has shared and amplified false and harmful conspiracy content that blames Jewish people for acts of terrorism,” Evans said. “This rhetoric is dangerous, deeply offensive, and has no place in Richmond.”
According to a San Francisco Chronicle report, Rabbi Dean Kertesz also sharply criticized Martinez, saying he showed no compassion for murdered Jews. Former Mayor Tom Butt said Martinez “crossed a line” but likely will not resign.
Richmond City Councilmember Sue Wilson, who, like Martinez, is a member of the Richmond Progressive Alliance, said she disagrees with the posts. Wilson said she believes Martinez should try to make amends through apologies and by reaching out to Jewish leaders.
The backlash and calls for Martinez to resign came after he reposted LinkedIn posts promoting conspiracy theories that the deadly Bondi Beach Hanukkah attack was a “false flag” by Israel and saying that Israel and Israelis were the “root cause of antisemitism.” These posts and earlier actions by Martinez on this issue led the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Bay Area to initially call for his resignation.
Martinez apologized for sharing the posts but has not indicated he plans to resign.
On Dec. 14, two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, killing 15 people and injuring dozens in what Australian authorities have labeled an antisemitic terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community. One attacker was killed by police and the other was taken into custody and charged with multiple counts of murder and terrorism.
