The police union has called him unstable. Activists accuse him of supporting racist institutions. Even longtime allies said his decisions during the recent protests over police brutality hurt Los Angeles’ communities of color.
Mayor Eric Garcetti’s handling of the demonstrations and his subsequent actions drew criticism from an array of groups, wide pushback unseen during his seven years leading the city.
Garcetti, known for avoiding political risk, has appeared at times whipsawed by the protests and their aftermath.
“When you’re being fired on politically from all sides, not sure exactly how to move because you know you can’t make everybody happy?” said Isaac Bryan, director of the Black Policy Project at UCLA. “I can imagine that’s a frustrating place for him.”
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