A longtime Los Angeles City Hall gadfly launched a profanity-laced tirade in front of Mayor Karen Bass and other senior officials, calling them “criminals” and accusing an armed security guard of attempting to intimidate him.
Armando Herman, a familiar presence at government meetings for years, recorded the confrontation as he approached the microphone for public comment during a personnel meeting attended by Bass and other top City Hall officials.
“I only get two f—ing minutes, sir. Relax. Relax. You’re f—ing stressing me out already, b—-,” Herman said almost immediately.
The mayor then told him he had 60 seconds to speak, prompting an even more heated reaction.
“What the f— is going on here?” Herman shouted. He accused officials of “stealing” and criticized the limited time allowed to discuss decisions involving millions of dollars and their potential impact on Los Angeles residents.
“All you motherf—ers, all of you criminals. Corruption. It’s all corruption,” he yelled.
Herman then focused his attention on an armed security officer nearby, claiming the guard had reached toward his weapon.
“Are you guys f—ing crazy, threatening me?” he shouted.
The outburst came soon after Herman received a one-day exclusion and a three-day suspension over alleged misconduct and yelling at City Hall.
In an interview with the California Post, however, Herman said he had no intention of softening his approach. He argued that his profanity and dramatic confrontations reflect deeper grievances.
Herman said the city “made me homeless” and claimed his dealings with Los Angeles city and county governments had convinced him that the system was corrupt.
He said his combative appearances are intended to draw attention to what he views as serious failures within government.
“Have I lost respect for the city of Los Angeles? Yes,” Herman told The Post. “Have I lost respect for the agency and department? Yes.”
“Have I lost hope in California, Los Angeles? Very much so.”
When asked whether he considers his explosive public comments an exercise of his First Amendment rights, Herman responded: “Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely.”
His behavior has continued to test the limits of public comment.
Herman, a former nurse and education worker who is now retired, told The Post he believes the attention generated by his appearances proves his tactics are working.
“I love educating people and exciting them by stirring them up to pay attention,” he said, pointing to his interview with The Post as an example.
And on Wednesday, Herman was back at City Hall.
His public-comment time was cut short after he yelled slang and slurs at council members while wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with a swastika.
Herman told The Post he ordered the sweatshirt from Kanye West’s clothing line.
It wasn’t the first time the provocative clothing had caused a stir.
The California Post reported in April that Herman wore a swastika-emblazoned shirt while making profane gestures at LAPD officials during a Police Commission meeting.
“Everything is the greatest show ever,” Herman told The Post.
