24 Dec Mayor Martinez Under Scrutiny After Social Media Post and Apology

Mayor Eduardo Martinez at the March 25, 2025, Richmond City Council meeting. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / CC Pulse file)

By Malcolm Marshall

Richmond City Council member Jamelia Brown is among many local leaders calling for Mayor Eduardo Martinez to be held accountable following the controversy surrounding his social media posts related to the Bondi Beach mass shooting in Australia.

The controversy centers on a LinkedIn repost by Martinez that suggested the mass shooting at a recent Hanukkah celebration in Australia was a “false flag.”

In a statement, Brown said she refuses to stay silent while members of the community say they are hurting. She said Martinez should resign or that residents should pursue a recall.

Eighty current and former elected officials from around the Bay Area and Richmond community leaders have signed an open letter asking Martinez to take certain steps to make amends, including private conversations with local Jewish leaders, antisemitism education for city officials, and “a truly restorative, public apology that acknowledges why his statements were harmful” — or else step down.

Martinez has issued a public apology. In a written statement, Martinez said the posts were shared on his personal social media account and he acknowledged responsibility for the harm they caused.

“I failed to fully read and understand the meaning behind what I was reposting, and inadvertently spread content that was factually inaccurate, conspiratorial, and portrayed Judaism in a negative light,” Martinez said. “I want to sincerely apologize to those who were hurt by my actions. That was never my intention, but intent does not erase impact.”

The impact has been significant, prompting a mixed response among council members. Doria Robinson said voters should decide the issue in the upcoming election, while Claudia Jimenez and Sue Wilson argue that dialogue is more productive than calling for resignation.

For Brown, giving the mayor more time to correct his actions is no longer an option. She believes the controversy reflects a broader pattern of behavior.

“Some have said the mayor deserves an opportunity to correct his mistakes,” she said in her statement. “The truth is, he’s had ample time—time to educate himself, to lead with respect and dignity for ALL people, and to stop engaging in rhetoric that harms members of our community. Instead, he has continued to make choices that deepen the wounds. That is not a lack of opportunity; that is a choice.”

She also rejects the idea that voters should wait until the next election to respond.

“Others argue that voters can address this during his reelection. But the question we must ask is, should a community that is experiencing intentional or unintentional harm be told to wait months—or longer—for that harm to stop? The answer is hell no,” she continued. “We would never tell another marginalized community to wait after they’ve been violated, or [in] this case repeatedly. We have acted with urgency when immigrant families were being targeted. We have acted with urgency when Black communities faced discrimination. The Jewish community deserves that same urgency, clarity, and protection.”

Martinez acknowledged his role as mayor and said he did not meet the expectations of the office.

“As Mayor, I have a responsibility to represent all of Richmond and to bring people together,” Martinez said. “In this instance, I fell short of that responsibility.”

Now, the question is whether admitting a mistake is enough.

While stopping short of calling for the mayor’s resignation, County Supervisor John Gioia has also weighed in, saying the Richmond City Council should formally censure Martinez.

In a Facebook post, Gioia said Martinez’s posts spread false conspiracy theories about the mass shooting in Australia and blamed Jewish people for the violence. Gioia said the posts were offensive and unacceptable, particularly in the aftermath of an event that traumatized many people.

“In the aftermath of these murders, which traumatized many people, elected leaders must bring community together and make ALL of our residents feel safe and respected. Mayor Martinez’s posts did the opposite, fueling divisiveness, and contributing to feelings of unsafety and vulnerability. In order to be accountable and try to rebuild trust in the Mayor’s Office, I call on Mayor Martinez to make a genuine public apology at the next City Council meeting that demonstrates he understands how his actions and words hurt and harmed others. I also call on the Richmond City Council to censure him for his actions.”

Council member Cesar Zepeda said he also supports formally censuring Eduardo Martinez.

“I am deeply concerned by the mayor’s words and actions,” Zepeda said in a statement, adding that he has heard directly from residents, especially members of the Jewish community, who are “hurt, shaken, and afraid.”

Zepeda said the situation goes beyond a single post or misunderstanding.

“It reflects a troubling pattern of behavior that shows a lack of care for how rhetoric and misinformation divide our community,” he said. “Our mayor should work to unify, lead with compassion and recognize the very real fear and grief being felt by our Jewish neighbors and others impacted by this and other horrific acts of violence.”

The controversy is not isolated. In 2023, Martinez publicly criticized a Contra Costa Pulse article reporting that many Jewish Richmond residents felt fearful after the City Council passed a resolution supporting the Palestinian people of Gaza.

In a social media post, Martinez said he was deeply disappointed with the article and blamed the coverage, writing, “Coverage like this is why the resolution was necessary.”

This latest incident has also drawn a response from mayoral candidate Ahmad Anderson, who is running against Martinez in next year’s election.

“The hate speech that Mayor Martinez spread has no place in the City of Pride and Purpose, ” Anderson said in a statement. “He made members of the Jewish community feel unsafe and unsupported. That’s not what leaders do, and there’s no excuse for it.”

Anderson questioned the mayor’s judgment, saying the controversy raises concerns about leadership.

“Just as importantly, Mayor Martinez doesn’t seem to be able to tell fact from fiction when he’s posting material like this online,” Anderson said. “Our city should not be led by a mayor who reposts offensive and false misinformation without thinking about who it will hurt.”

Whether it will hurt Martinez in the upcoming election remains to be seen.