Monday night, Eugene's city council was derailed not once, but twice due to antisemitic and racist remarks from Eugene citizens during the public forum section of the October 23 City Council meeting.
Typically, these sections allow for community members to speak about concerns, longstanding issues, or whatever they might be passionate about.
Early during Monday's meeting, a speaker who was not in attendance at the meeting, but speaking virtually, went on a nearly two and a half minute long anti-Semitic rant.
Soon after, council president Randy Groves called an immediate recess to the public forum. Five minutes later, the forum would open back up, with Groves saying the following before allowing public comment to continue:
"This council does not condone vile comments. It does not condone derogatory comments against individuals, or a people, and I would just ask that everybody maintain a sense of decorum, and respect in these proceedings. Testifying at public forum is not a right, it's a privilege, and I ask that everyone exercise that privilege responsibly. Thank you," said Groves.
Forum continued for an additional 35 minutes before Groves cut the forum short after a second series of racist remarks from a different online speaker.