By Deepa Bharath – The L.A. Daily News
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office has turned down a $425,000 federal grant to counter violent extremism after a wave of opposition from civil rights organizations, which said the program would target and vilify Muslims.
Garcetti’s office, which was to administer the grant after securing City Council approval, told the Department of Homeland Security Tuesday Aug. 14 that it will not accept the funding, said Alex Comisar, spokesman for the mayor.
“Unfortunately, a significant amount of misinformation has led to delays in the program that have stretched past the halfway point in the grant’s performance cycle,” he said. “That leaves too little time for the community organizations we have engaged to bring their plans to life.
“For that reason, it has become impractical to move forward.”