Baltimore City Council members: Council president’s apology too narrow. He should apologize to us, the mayor and city residents for hearing chaos.

Our Democracy is hanging by a thread. Less than two years ago, we witnessed a full scale insurrection in Washington, D.C., where rioters assaulted Capitol Police officers and threatened to assassinate the vice president and members of Congress. It is against this backdrop of recent political violence that makes the behavior exhibited at Tuesday’s City Council hearing so troubling. As members of Baltimore’s governing body, we collectively condemn the outrageous and dangerous behavior exhibited at City Hall. The free exchange of ideas should never be accompanied by petty, personal insults or thinly veiled threats of a riot.