Pornography and racist messages disrupt online Sacramento City Council debate

A Sacramento City Council election forum in Natomas turned chaotic Wednesday when online guests shared pornographic images, threatening remarks and racist messages to candidates.

About 45 people attended the

Zoom forum hosted by the Natomas Community Association to listen to Sacramento City Council District 3 candidates Michael Lynch and Karina Talamantes. The district includes South Natomas, Gardenland, Northgate and part of North Natomas.

Members of the public were asked to turn off their cameras and mute themselves to help the candidates focus, said association President Sachiko Konatsu. To make the event run more smoothly, the candidates were given administrative co-host privileges on the Zoom call, allowing them to unmute and answer questions directly.

That access also allowed members of the public to send direct messages to the candidates.

Talamantes said she received several sexually explicit and sexist messages. Lynch received one message that said “kill Black people” and another that just said a racial slur.

“It was in the beginning (of the forum) and it threw me off,” said Lynch, who is Black. “That hasn’t been a response I’ve received since my college football days.”

At least one online guest also displayed pornography on their screen during the event while Talamantes was speaking, she said, and someone else held up a phone that appeared to show a sexual acronym.

Lynch and Talamantes both noted during the forum they had received inappropriate comments, and perpetrators were kicked out within minutes, Konatsu said. The event continued afterward.

The association has a recording of the video forum, and will contact the Sacramento Police Department to report the incident, Konatsu added.