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During the public comment period of Tuesday’s meeting, William Gude, a prominent police watchdog who uses the online handle @FilmThePoliceLA, confirmed that the “Black fool” comment was made toward him.

Gude said he emailed McDonnell repeatedly for months, and copied other department and commission staff, to demand an explanation for why the officer was not disciplined for making the remark.

Gude’s emails said the comment was made while he filmed a Hollywood officer “committing an unlawful search” in November 2020.

But it deemed the “Black fool” comment a nondisciplinary matter, according to Gude’s emails.

Similar 1st Amendment protections are also enjoyed by other “citizen journalists” such as Gude and legal observers, she said.