An Oakland city councilman is under fire for giving a one-finger salute to speakers at a testy public safety meeting — and refused to apologize for the crude gesture, saying he doesn’t “give a rip” if he’s recalled over the incident.
Hotheaded East Oakland rep Ken Houston was caught on camera giving a not-so-subtle middle finger to residents speaking out against a plan to add Flock surveillance cameras to fight crime at a Tuesday meeting, and was quickly called out by attendees.
“The people that voted me in office voted me to be who I am, and that’s what I’m going to be, and if they don’t like it, recall me, because I don’t give a rip,” Houston told KPIX.
“Want to give a big shout out to Ken Houston. Do you think we didn’t notice you flipping off the audience from your seat just now?” said one unidentified speaker.
Asked by KPIX if the gesture was on purpose, the self-described “son of Oakland” doubled down.
“Yes, I did. Because I’m always like this,” Houston told the outlet.
Houston claimed he was elected for his aggressive style, and his Instagram account is replete with in-your-face videos of him ranting about the piles of filth littering his district, confronting political foes, and arguing with protesters.
“You’re in the wrong place, f—king with me,” he shouted at protesters in a video unearthed by KPIX.
“I don’t give a f—!”
“I’m not a politician, and I’m not going to let people talk down to me or talk to me like I’m nothing, because if they can say F me. I’m going to say F you too,” Houston told the outlet.
Houston was among the seven councilmembers who voted in favor of a roughly $2 million contract with Flock safety to continue using their public safety cameras, which have been credited with helping to solve crimes in neighboring San Francisco.
Some of Houston’s colleagues aren’t thrilled with his conduct, with fellow council member Carrol Fife comparing his macho antics to President Donald Trump.
“It’s mirroring what’s happening at the federal level, with the level of discourse, and I don’t think we should engage in that way,” Fife told KPIX.
