Woman ambushed with racist comments during San Bernardino city meeting

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - A woman was ambushed by racist comments while she spoke during a San Bernardino City Council meeting.

The incident happened while the San Bernardino resident Amy Malone was at the podium discussing the hiring of a new city manager. While Malone was talking, callers from the Zoom video chat started hurling racial slurs and spewing hateful messages against Malone, who is Black.

"It wasn't said once to me," Malone said. "It was said over and over. They said it with such anger."

Malone criticized the city leaders' handling of the incident, particularly when Malone was told "to wait" instead of stepping in to stop the hateful messages. Malone told the City Council they should be appalled by what had unfolded.

The City of San Bernardino issued the following statement after the incident:

"The City apologizes to anyone who heard what was said. Our community will not tolerate this type of hateful language in our public meetings, or anywhere.

The City is working to identify the individuals who made the comments."

Malone tells FOX 11 that San Bernardino is not a racist city and says she doesn't encounter racism in the community. However, she was not moved by the city's prepared statement following the meeting incident.

"There is a difference between an apology and a statement," Malone said. "That's a statement and it's a reaction."