LA Gadfly Erupts in Profane Tirade at Mayor Bass, City Officials

A frequent attendee at Los Angeles City Hall public comment sessions, Armando Herman, delivered a profanity-laced tirade directed at Mayor Karen Bass and other city officials during a recent personnel meeting. Herman, who has a history of disruptive behavior at meetings, was filmed by himself as he took to the podium for his allotted public comment time.

"I only get two f—ing minutes, sir. Relax. Relax. You’re f—ing stressing me out already, b—-," Herman began, shortly after being informed he had 60 seconds. His comments escalated quickly, with Herman accusing the officials of "stealing" and railing against the limited time to discuss issues affecting Angelenos. "All you motherf—ers, all of you criminals. Corruption. It’s all corruption," he raged.

Herman then focused on an armed security officer present at the meeting, accusing the guard of reaching for his weapon and confronting him. "Are you guys f—ing crazy, threatening me?" he shouted.

The outburst occurred shortly after Herman had served a suspension for previous misconduct and disruptive behavior at City Hall. Despite this, Herman told The California Post that he has no intention of moderating his approach, asserting that his confrontational style is a deliberate tactic to draw attention to what he perceives as systemic corruption and government failures. He stated that his experiences with the city and county government have led him to believe the system is corrupt, claiming the city "made me homeless."

Herman views his provocative appearances as an exercise of his First Amendment rights. "Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely," he responded when asked if he considered his explosive comments to be protected speech.

His conduct has continued to test the boundaries of public comment at City Hall. In a separate incident, Herman was reported to have worn a sweatshirt emblazoned with a swastika during a prior public comment session, where he reportedly yelled slurs at council members. He told The Post that he had ordered the sweatshirt from Kanye West’s clothing line. Previously, in April, he was noted for wearing a similar swastika-emblazoned shirt while making profane gestures at LAPD officials during a Police Commission meeting.

Herman, a retired former nurse and education worker, believes the attention generated by his actions highlights their effectiveness. "I love educating people and exciting them by stirring them up to pay attention," he said, citing his interview with The Post as an example of his strategy working.