Others see class warfare behind complaints of outrageous conduct

By Gary Walker
Venice politics are not for the faint of heart, but Tuesday night’s neighborhood council vote to unseat elected member Matt Fisher exposed new levels of acrimony and divisiveness along socioeconomic lines.
Supporters of Fisher, who was homeless for more than a decade after leaving foster care, say he is an essential advocate for the homeless and a lonely voice on the council in solidarity with low-income residents being pushed out by gentrification.
Others, including some who voted to remove him, say they take issue not with Fisher’s ideas, but how he had expressed them at the expense of others.
In more instances than were brought forth during the meeting, Fisher has been called out for disparaging or threatening remarks to council colleagues and members of the public.
Following the Jan. 2 bomb scare during construction of the temporary homeless housing facility on Main Street, Fisher posted claims on social media, later removed, of video evidence that three of his political adversaries had planted explosive devices.
Shortly after winning his at-large council seat in June, Fisher took credit for demanding that the city remove sidewalk planter boxes displacing homeless encampments.
Over vociferous interjections by several of Fisher’s supporters, the council voted 12-4 to oust Fisher for what was described as a pattern of disruptive behavior, serial violations of city and board rules of civility, and making false or controversial statements against fellow board members. Neighborhood councils are city-sponsored advisory boards whose members sign code of conduct oaths.
Venice Neighborhood Council President Ira Koslow, author of the motion to remove Fisher, said numerous board members had complained to him for months about Fisher.
“I thought that I had to put this on the agenda because my job as president is to represent all the stakeholders in Venice,” said Koslow, who has also clashed with Fisher during
prior board meetings.
Fisher contends he’s being targeted by locals who are hostile to the homeless. He denied the grievances against him, stating he did not write the bomb scare accusations posted to Facebook from his account. He also complained of Koslow and board member Jim Murez using vulgar gestures during public meetings, with some of Fisher’s supporters distributing photographic evidence.
“You literally have nothing,” Fisher told Koslow. “I’ve been trying to work this out with you, but you don’t respond to my emails. What bothers you is what and who I stand up for.”
Throughout the meeting, some of Fisher’s supporters interrupted the proceedings with some vulgarities of their own, decrying the council as a kangaroo court. “We’ll see you next election,” several people chanted.
“Matt was duly elected to this board,” said longtime Venice resident Beth Allyn. “If you vote him off, you’re taking away our right to vote for whomever we want.”
Six LAPD officers stood guard during the meeting in the Westminster Avenue Elementary School Auditorium.
Council member Christian Wrede, a neighborhood activist who has opposed controversial plans to build dense supportive housing projects on public land in Venice, got within inches of one officer’s face — “Aren’t you going to do anything?” he exclaimed — about a man in the audience who repeatedly disrupted the meeting and proceeded to follow Wrede around the room. Police eventually escorted the audience member from the building.
Among the many complaints about Fisher that he denied, council members said Fisher would throw out wild accusations that local homeless services nonprofit Safe Place for Youth is
abusing children.
“Matt wanted to be on our homelessness committee,” said Koslow. “How can a member expect to be on our homeless committee if he’s accusing SPY of abusing kids?”
In an emotional statement, council outreach chair Sima Kostovetsky said she has “great respect for what [Fisher] has done and what he has overcome,” but is hurt by the vitriol of Fisher’s supporters — specifically taunts that council members are “fascists” who “want people to live like we have apartheid” and “probably liked apartheid.”
Prior to the meeting, Fisher and supporters held a press conference decrying efforts to remove him as motivated by ideological differences.
“He lived on the street for many, many years. So the expectation of having him always speak in this very polished, diplomatic, tactful way like developers or architects is unreasonable,” Oakwood community activist Naomi Nightingale said in Fisher’s defense. “He has a constituency, and a lot of them are the un-housed.”
Good riddance. This guy was toxic as hell, and long after claiming that the neighborhood council was just “an advisory board with no teeth and no power” they finally removed him. If the board isn’t influential, why did he fight so hard for him and his terrible behavior to remain put. This guy acted like a psychopath at every single meeting, and we’re all relieved he and his bussed-in supporters will no longer have any pull in this community. We can finally get stuff done and stick to the agenda’s timeline.
It’s ok to say Racism Gary, very disappointing article. You forgot quite a few things. A couple quick glaring points are that there was no proof of those allegations yet you present them here as fact. Two, Christian read be reading a black police officer because he wasn’t doing his bidding. Not to mention the fact that our Kozlow had no substantiation for his claims and the fact that many of those board members Break by laws every meeting which can actually be documented. The constant policies and impact of all these gentrifiers decision is way more vulgar and uncivil than anything Matt or us “ volatile “ people could ever say.
Can I play the board doesn’t really have any real Twitter power so he’s correcting that. That’s not to say that it doesn’t serve some useful political space. You wouldn’t know this as a privileged white person but whatever there is the attempt to silence and marginalize nonwhite people’s in our community it is our duty to resist and make noise. Saying such things like calling math a “psychopath” just speaks to how ridiculous your comment is. I’m sorry to disappoint you but not being on the council will only affect a small fraction of what he has been doing and will be able to do. Nobody was “bussed in” That’s what you gentrifier clowns do. That’s your territory. It doesn’t stop him or anyone else from going to committee meetings. And we can come back anytime we want to to any board meeting and do the same shit again if you want to take it there. You’re a clown
Hi Mike. You seem really tough online, but I’ve seen you whine like a little kid at these meetings when they don’t go your way. I was appalled at your behavior at this last council meeting. You didn’t help Matt’s case, and you delegitimized everything you’ve worked so hard for. I’m going to find it hard to take you seriously in the future after seeing the way you misbehaved.
Hey Sweeny, I dont know who you are but feel free to come talk since you know who I am. I’m not a tough guy at all, I just talk about real shit in an unapologetic fashion. I can easily bust noses but how far would taht get me? Uncontrolled truth bombs are much more effective IMO. Outspoken and vocal about bullshit as it arises, for sure, but to say “whine” sounds like you’re butt hurt. Sorry to have disappointed. You’re extremely naive to think they would have voted any different. Never heard of you or witnessed your solidarity for any of our causes, EVER.. but as a helpful suggestion u should be mindful of getting carried away with your white paternalism there bro, a lot of people wont be as polite in correcting you. And respectfully, you dont legitimize me or our movement. We do what we need to regardless of opinions from sideline critics who have no record or history of supporting our people, voices, or concerns.
I was photographing the removal of the planter boxes on 4th Ave when Matt Fisher posed for me with two cops then came over and grabbed my iPhone camera ! It was on video mode so I posted it on YouTube . No way for an elected official to act trying to take my right to photograph on a public street away.
Exactly I second that !!!!!We’ve seen way too much enough is enough ,,,,,,Next
Ok, So you’ll support a motion to remove Ryavec and Murez for actual documented behavior toward women?
Good riddance.
Undue process removal of a Board member in obeisance to a third party focuses bright sunshine to the continuing danger that this second generation of developer-funded VNC presents to the community.
Failing immediate decertification and reconstruction via a de novo election, Venice Neighborhood Council will carry the deep stain of disrepute for the remainder of this term.