![Protestors get vocal about Kevin de León inside the Los Angeles City Council chambers.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fc4b9de/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1333+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff1%2F42%2Fd4ec95fd4316bfa6ddb8df52dea9%2F1227940-me-de-leon-back-at-city-council03-mjc.jpeg)
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Councilmember Kevin de León showed up in the Los Angeles City Council chambers on Friday morning, appearing briefly at a council meeting for the first time since fallout from a racist leaked audio tape roiled the city in mid-October.
The question of when — or if — De León would return had loomed large at City Hall for nearly two months. His name was frequently invoked even as his seat remained empty, with protesters regularly interrupting the thrice-weekly meetings to demand his resignation.
De León, who apologized in the wake of the tape, has been adamant that he has no plans to resign. He began to quietly reenter the public sphere about a month ago, attending food giveaways, holiday meals and other community events but remained absent in council chambers until Friday morning.
![Councilmember Kevin de León waves during a council meeting as other people look on.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/150f2dc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1700x1210+0+0/resize/2000x1424!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc5%2F73%2Fb39afd2d421cabcb5938da31bd7c%2F1227940-me-de-leon-back-at-city-council01-mjc.jpeg)
![Protestors sitting in rows of seat inside City Council chambers voice their opinions.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f93b510/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1333+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4e%2F2e%2Fdec459b746979a2fbb8d9218e02f%2F1227940-me-de-leon-back-at-city-council04-mjc.jpeg)
![Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León is seated as other people talk and move behind him.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/77d6358/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2087+0+0/resize/2000x1391!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd9%2F0e%2F1fe1fc2f43bd9b46316c2fdb286b%2F1227940-me-de-leon-back-city-council-10-mjc.jpg)
![Jason Reedy, with a baby wrapped across his chest in a sling, addresses the City Council.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/015b0e4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2584+0+0/resize/2000x1723!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F13%2F72%2Ff097c4e1405d9cec42b588cab640%2F1227940-me-de-leon-back-city-council-02-mjc.jpg)
![LAPD officers stand guard after the Los Angeles City Council chambers went into recess.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3468930/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1228+0+0/resize/2000x1228!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F45%2F78%2F9e465491456290a565c59e742c16%2F1227940-me-de-leon-back-at-city-council05-mjc.jpeg)
![City Councilman Kevin de León, sitting at his seat marked by a nameplate.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/81122b1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1553+0+0/resize/2000x1035!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff3%2F75%2F0b39827a4830b894b1f402df419e%2F1227940-me-de-leon-back-city-council-11-mjc.jpg)
![Jason Reedy, a People’s City Council organizer, walks down the aisle of council chambers.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6299d83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2202+0+0/resize/2000x1468!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7a%2F75%2F2ab1205c46168eb1d3262d2b5234%2F1227940-me-de-leon-back-city-council-12-mjc.jpg)
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