Ontario, CA — A routine Ontario City Council meeting turned turbulent as tensions flared during the public comment portion, where residents aired frustrations on issues ranging from code enforcement to free speech and mental health rhetoric.
Mayor Paul Leon opened the April 1 meeting with reminders that public comments must relate to city matters, but several speakers challenged that boundary, leading to multiple confrontations, a brief recess and repeated calls for order.
The evening’s most intense exchange erupted when resident Avraham Kutin took the podium. Kutin, who had previously criticized federal immigration policies and their alleged impact on Ontario taxpayers, returned to demand accountability from the city.
He claimed city officials infringed on his rights during a prior meeting, accusing them of anti-Semitism and censorship in reference to the council’s response to Kutin’s comments regarding the controversial arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a student at Columbia University.
“You might be the government, but you are not the city,” Kutin declared, his voice rising. As he invoked the abduction of legal immigrants and shouted over the gavel, Mayor Leon abruptly called a recess.
“I’ve had enough,” the mayor said. “We’re not going to put up with somebody screaming in the meeting.”
City Attorney Ruben Duran later stepped in to clarify the council’s legal responsibilities.
“California law is clear,” Duran stated, emphasizing the council’s authority to limit comments to issues within its jurisdiction. “We are not seeking to infringe on anyone’s free speech, but we must maintain order to conduct the city’s business.”
Another speaker, Joe Tonen, brought a different kind of controversy to the floor. Referencing a satirical Minnesota bill defining “Trump Derangement Syndrome” as a psychiatric condition, Tonen criticized the mayor’s alleged personal Facebook post that appeared to mock critics of Trump-era tax cuts.
He warned that labeling political dissent as mental illness could undermine Ontario’s own mental health initiatives.
“Whether you meant it as a joke or not, it trivializes the serious mental health issues that Ontario’s COAST team is trying to address,” Tonen said.
The mayor, in response, asked Tonen to remain until the end of the meeting for a personal clarification.
Other speakers raised concerns over city spending and transparency. Resident Tommy Mushin questioned the integrity of campaign expenditures and alleged conflicts of interest involving a city employee while also requesting universally accessible playground equipment.
His remarks, while disjointed, touched on transparency, equity and infrastructure development.
Despite the contentious start, the council moved swiftly through the remainder of the agenda, including public hearings on land use and housing initiatives.
The public comment period concluded without further disruption, though the atmosphere remained tense.
Leon, in closing, reiterated the importance of maintaining order and focusing on local governance.
“We are here to work on issues that fall within the city’s authority,” he said. “Screaming won’t help. Respect will.”
The meeting adjourned with council members approving several development agreements and infrastructure projects, including a hotel and retail development near Ontario International Airport and a lease financing plan for the proposed Inland Empire Animal Resource Center.
