San Bruno cease-fire resolution halts

The vote to agendize such a resolution went to a tie, with Councilmember Tom Hamilton, who introduced the topic, and Councilmember Marty Medina in support. Mayor Rico Medina and Councilmember Sandy Alvarez were against and Councilmember Michael Salazar was absent.

Without a majority yes vote, the resolution could not move forward. The decision spurred chants of “Shame on you” and “Cease-fire now” from the crowd, who gathered outside after the meeting, expressing frustration with their local representatives who they said did not represent their interests.

“This is not the end. This is just the beginning, this is the first time we’ve actually had a chance to voice ourselves, voice for our people,” San Bruno resident Wesam Dawah said to the crowd, which peacefully dispersed at police request soon after the meeting adjourned. “Palestinians are a tight community. Palestinians work hard. Palestinians will continue to struggle, and we will continue with perseverance. We don’t give up. We’re resilient, and we will keep going.”

Rico Medina said that although he had listened intently to constituents on both sides of the issue, he fundamentally did not believe local government should weigh in on foreign policy.

“Despite my personal feelings on this issue, I do not agree that the city of San Bruno should weigh in on federal foreign policy. We need to remain focused on core city and neighborhood services,” he said.

Hamilton said at the beginning of the meeting he brought forward the proposed resolution — which would also call for unrestricted humanitarian aid access — to honor the wishes of his constituency and amplify their calls for peace.

Those who spoke against the resolution echoed Rico Medina’s sentiment, including Luba Trinousky, who spoke at public comment.

“I’m Jewish, I’m an American citizen. We’re all against a loss of human life, and I’m sure we’re all humanitarians,” she said. “This resolution can only create animosity and divisiveness within the community of San Bruno. A matter like that should not be up to an agenda of a local government, it is a foreign policy issue.”

A local issue?

This local affairs argument was rebuked by pro-resolution speakers, and many brought up the San Bruno City Council’s decision to raise the Ukrainian flag twice amidst the Russia-Ukraine war and said that San Bruno had already made the decision to engage in global issues.

“Before you say this goes into U.S. foreign affairs and you are a local municipality, do I have to remind the council that U.S. foreign affairs was the reason why Tanforan was an internment camp for Japanese Americans?” South San Francisco resident Russell Lee said. “You engage in foreign affairs with your sister city Narita in Japan, even having your own student exchange program. You raise the Ukrainian flag. Your best restaurant in this city is a Palestinian-Jordanian restaurant.”

Marty Medina — who said he supported the resolution as a reflection of San Bruno’s empathy and heart — also noted that the San Bruno City Council had recently increasingly chosen to participate in political issues.

“In the past years, San Bruno City Councils have expanded into politically sensitive subjects,” he said. “We passed resolutions united against hate, we raised the LGBTQ+ flag, we raised the Ukrainian flag two times. It’s fair to question how many resolutions will be made for other conflicts. That is likely best for a separate discussion, on another night.”

In contrast, Councilmember Alvarez said she thought such a resolution would bring increased divisiveness to the San Bruno community.

“It is important to understand this crisis is temporary, amongst the different issues that are happening around the world, but what we have before us tonight may result in long-term disagreement between the two groups in our community,” Alvarez said. “This community need to feel safe, for this, I cannot support a resolution that may result in dividing action.”

But one San Bruno District 3 resident, who identified herself as Jacqi G., said the outpouring of support for the resolution from San Bruno residents exemplified unity and community, and that such a resolution was not divisive in the slightest.

“These are not people from anywhere else, these are people from where you live. I’ve heard my neighbors speak today, old classmates, friends of my father and my family,” she said. “I see nothing but unity in this room. I’ve seen nothing but unity for weeks and months as people have gathered and met with you all and urged you all to pass this resolution. All I see here is togetherness, more togetherness than I’ve seen here in San Bruno in a long time.”

Emotional meeting

The meeting was over three hours long, and at turns emotional and tense, with Rico Medina reminding the crowd to not make noise or interrupt in any way while others were speaking.

One Foster City woman called into question the legitimacy of death toll numbers, which drew ire from the crowd and led to a verbal confrontation outside between the woman and other attendees. On the whole, however, councilmembers thanked participants for being peaceful and respectful. Speakers emphasized a cease-fire resolution was deeply personal, with Zaynab Hararah telling the City Council she had lost over 50 family members in Gaza since Oct. 7.

Community members with personal ties to the conflict are in large part the reason why Hamilton broached the resolution, he said.

“I’ve been told multiple times over the past weeks by members of our community, including friends I’ve known since childhood, whom I respect deeply, that we must stay in our lane and not talk about this,” Hamilton said. “But when so many members of our community, the community I was elected to represent, bring a historical crisis of this magnitude, one that is affecting them deeply every day as they learn of more and more loved ones perishing, I simply cannot say I’m sorry, I won’t help.”