Mayor Eric Garcetti gave an emotional statement on the death of Gorge Floyd, a Minneapolis man who died in police custody after an officer kneeled on his neck.
The statement came before the mayor was set to address coronavirus concerns in the city of LA.
Garcetti and mayors across the nation called Friday for more federal funding to help cities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but some of them were met with pushback from Congress members during a virtual committee hearing.
During a briefing with the House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis, Garcetti said cities will need $250 billion in federal relief in order to maintain their financial stability.
"When Republicans can vote for things like cash assistance and Democrats can step up and help our first responders, we start to erode these walls that classify us first and foremost by our party affiliation before our personal qualities or characteristics and our joint patriotism,'' said Garcetti, a registered Democrat.
The argument about more federal funding was centered on how cities and states have responded to the COIVD-19 pandemic, with some congress members and mayors saying they need businesses to reopen, but they also need relief from the pandemic.
