(JEWISH VOICE NEWS) Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez is facing growing pressure to step down after a series of social media posts condemned as antisemitic, KGO7 reported Thursday.

Jewish organizations in Northern California are intensifying calls for the resignation of Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez after he shared and commented on social media posts promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories about the deadly Bondi Beach Hanukkah attack in Australia, VIN reported.

Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez, an elected official responsible for more than 100,000 residents, has engaged in a disturbing pattern of antisemitic conduct. In recent days, he has shared multiple LinkedIn posts that appear to blame Jews for the Bondi Beach terror attack. This… pic.twitter.com/BhzDj0gQ7V

— JCRC Bay Area (@SFJCRC) December 18, 2025

The Jewish Community Relations Council of the Bay Area said Martinez repeatedly amplified false claims blaming Jews or Israel for the attack, describing the conduct as “dangerously antisemitic” and incompatible with public office.

Jonathan Mintzer, Senior Director of Government Affairs for the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), urged leaders across the Bay Area and Richmond’s city council to publicly denounce the posts and declare Martinez unfit for office. “We are asking elected leaders from across the Bay Area and those on his city council to condemn these comments and tell him that he’s unfit to serve his community,” Mintzer said, according to KGO7.

In an open letter released Thursday, the JCRC criticized the mayor for LinkedIn posts that blamed Israel for the Bondi Beach attack, among other statements the group called factually inaccurate. “The evidence is very clear that he is unfit to serve and is unable to protect his community,” Mintzer said, KGO7 reported. “This ongoing use of antisemitic tropes has real-world impacts like we saw in Sydney.”

Mayor Martinez, however, defended his actions, telling KGO7 he does not see a need to resign. “You know, I acknowledge my mistakes. I apologize for them, and I’m ready to move forward. I’ve reached out to the Jewish community for communication and understanding,” he said. Martinez also explained his intentions stem from frustration over the conflict in Gaza. “I’m really devastated by what’s going on in Gaza,” he said. “I feel frustrated that there’s nothing I can do. And the only outlet that I have is to express my personal opinions on LinkedIn,” KGO7 reported.

Despite Martinez’s alleged attempts at dialogue, the JCRC said the mayor has yet to make meaningful contact. “It had been made aware to me that he issued what some may consider to be an apology, but there are many of these posts that still remain up, and again, this is a pattern of behavior with the mayor,” Mintzer told KGO7.

The JCRC emphasized that it will continue its campaign for Martinez to resign, citing the ongoing risk posed by antisemitic rhetoric from an elected official. While Martinez seeks to frame his statements as expressions of personal opinion, the council and advocacy groups maintain that the posts have real-world consequences for the community. KGO7 reported that calls for accountability are likely to intensify in the coming days.