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WATCH: Mayor Byron Brown walks off during public hearing

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown walks off the stage of the Burchfield Penney Art Center Aug. 3, 2022, during a heated public hearing on the city's new district map. Brown left after a shouting match with an audience member, Arise Shapley, and returned two minutes later.
Tom Dinki
/
WBFO News
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown walks off the stage of the Burchfield Penney Art Center Aug. 3, 2022, during a heated public hearing on the city's new district map. Brown left after a shouting match with an audience member, Arise Shapley, and returned two minutes later.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown momentarily walked off the stage during a heated public hearing Wednesday on the Common Council's controversial proposed district map.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown walks off during heated public hearing over redistricting

This came after a shouting match with audience member Arise Shapley, who refused to use the microphone. Brown also misgendered Shapley, who is a trans non-binary person. Brown referred to Shapley as "ma'am" three different times, despite Shapley's corrections.

Brown returned to the stage two minutes later and continued with the hearing.

You can hear more about the incident, including an interview with Shapley, on Thursday's edition of Buffalo, What's Next?

Buffalo, What's Next? — Aug. 3, 2022
“Buffalo, What’s Next?” recaps a particularly contentious mayoral hearing which included both supporters of the plan and others who say it will dilute Black voting power in the city.

Tom Dinki joined WBFO in August 2019 to cover issues affecting older adults.
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