Berkeley City Council Special Meeting: Gaza Ceasefire Resolution, April 28, 2025
Berkeley City Council Special Meeting: Gaza Ceasefire Resolution, April 28, 2025
The Berkeley City Council held a special meeting on Monday, April 28, 2025, at the School District Board Room (1231 Addison Street) beginning at 5:00 PM, to consider a resolution for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, an end to U.S. military aid to Israel, and support for Palestinian self-determination. The meeting, which ran for over six hours, featured extensive public comment from a deeply divided community. After deliberation, the council voted on competing resolutions but ultimately adjourned without adopting any resolution on the matter.
Consent Calendar
No consent calendar items were listed or considered during this special meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
The public comment period was extended multiple times, ultimately totaling nearly four hours. Over a hundred speakers provided testimony on both sides of the issue.
- Supporters of the Peace and Justice Commission (PJC) resolution — including members of Jewish Voice for Peace, the Gazan Student Support Network, SEIU 1021, Code Pink, and numerous Berkeley residents and students — urged the council to adopt the PJC resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to U.S. military aid to Israel. They argued that U.S. tax dollars are directly funding what they described as a genocide in Gaza, that the conflict is a local issue given federal tax contributions, and that Berkeley has a historical moral obligation to take a stand (citing the anti-apartheid and anti-Vietnam War movements).
- Supporters of Councilmember Taplin's alternative resolution — including several Jewish residents, the JCRC Bay Area, and community members — urged the council to adopt his resolution focused on combating hate locally, healing community divides, and protecting free speech. They argued that the city has no jurisdiction over foreign policy and that the PJC resolution was one-sided, divisive, and would increase anti-Semitism in Berkeley.
- Many commenters on both sides shared deeply personal testimony about family members killed, hostages taken, harassment experienced, and trauma from the Holocaust, the occupation of Palestine, and the October 7th attack.
- A public commenter who identified as a trauma surgeon testified about treating wounded patients in Gaza and described being present when a hospital was bombed, killing a 16-year-old patient.
- The meeting was marked by frequent interruptions, heckling, and shouted exchanges between audience members. The Mayor repeatedly called for decorum and paused the meeting multiple times.
Discussion Items
- Peace and Justice Commission Presentation: Pastor Duane L. Phillips, Chair, and Commissioner Luke Taylor presented the Commission's resolution. Taylor noted it was passed by the Commission in September 2024 with an 8-7 vote. He highlighted ongoing suffering in Gaza, including the deaths of two students from his network the day before, and urged the council to adopt the resolution without dilution.
- Councilmember Taplin's Alternative Resolution: Taplin presented a substitute resolution titled "Reaffirming Berkeley's Commitment to Peace at Home and Abroad," which focused on local impacts of the conflict, rising hate crimes in Berkeley, and the importance of community healing. He argued the Council has no jurisdiction over foreign affairs and expressed frustration with the focus on such matters.
- Mayor Ishii's Resolution: Mayor Ishii presented her own substitute resolution that condemned hate, supported a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, opposed a US occupation of Gaza, and affirmed the Council's commitment to free speech. She emphasized her efforts over the prior three months to meet with community stakeholders.
- Councilmember Taplin's Proposed Amendments: Taplin proposed a series of friendly amendments to the Mayor's resolution, including specific condemnations of Hamas's October 7 attack, sexual violence, and language about educational institutions protecting free speech while addressing anti-Semitism. The Mayor declined the amendments, saying she could not consider so many changes at the dais. Councilmember Kesarwani later requested that the amendments be included, but they were not incorporated.
Key Outcomes
- Vote on Substitute Motion (Mayor Ishii's Resolution): Failed, 4-3-1 (Ayes: Bartlett, Tregub, Lunaparra, Ishii; Noes: Blackaby; Abstentions: Kesarwani, Taplin, O'Keefe, Humbert).
- Vote on Main Motion (Councilmember Taplin's Resolution): The roll call was interrupted by audience disruption. Based on the audible votes, Kesarwani, Taplin, Bartlett, Tregub voted yes; Blackaby, Humbert voted no; O'Keefe and Lunaparra appeared to abstain or vote no; Ishii's vote was not heard. The motion did not pass.
- Adjournment: The Council voted to adjourn without adopting any resolution. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 11:30 PM.
- Next Steps: No further meetings or actions were scheduled. The issue of a Gaza ceasefire resolution was not resolved.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, we're getting ready to start. So if everybody could uh find a seat, if you're not lined up to speak, please sit in an actual chair. Um please make sure that the exits are clear, the aisles are clear for egress. Thank you. Good evening, everyone. I'd like to ask that the crowd quiet down, please, so that we can get started. I'm calling to order the special meeting. It is April 28th, 2025. And I'm gonna ask the clerk to start by taking the roll. Okay, Councilmember Kessarwani. Here Chaplin. Present. Bartlett. Present. Treyup. O'Keefe. Present. Blackaby. Here. Luna Para. Here. Humbert. Present. And Mayor Ishii. Here. Okay, quorum is present. Um we will do the script uh for uh Councilmember Taplin's remote participation. Councilmember Taplin is participating in the meeting remotely, pursuant to the Brown Act as amended by AB 2449 under the Just Cause exception. A quorum of the council is participating in person at the noticed meeting location, which satisfies the requirements of the Brown Act. Uh Councilmember Taplin, if you could please provide a description of the circumstances relating to your need to appear remotely. Now please do that now. I have a caretaking obligation this evening. Thank you. Um and Councilmember Taplin, um please disclose if there are any individuals 18 years of age or older that are present in the room from which you are participating, and if so, their relationship to you. In this room, I am joined by my spouse. Okay. And Councilmember Taplin will participate through both audio and visual technology. Um we can pursue it. And Councilmember Tregob and Vice Mayor Kesserwani are participating remotely as noticed on the agenda. So we can start. Thank you all for being here this evening. I I want to start off us off with some remarks. Um I appreciate you coming tonight, and I appreciate my council colleagues for making this a safe space, one full of respect and compassion for issues that run very deep for many of us. I believe in peace. And today that is what we're here to call for. As Berkeley, my hope is that today we can acknowledge the pain that this topic has caused our community, that we can see the pain that all are feeling and acknowledge its validity. That we can share our stories without assuming one person's pain is worse than another's. Whether you and your family are personally impacted by the conflict, this brings up your own trauma, or you care for humanity in general. I hope today is a day that we can mourn our losses, acknowledge our pain, and stand for peace as a community. I'm aware that people have been waiting for this opportunity to discuss the Peace and Justice Commission resolution since September 2024, and I'm grateful that we're finally at this place that we can have the conversation.
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