THE U.S. FLAG flies at half-mast at Bolsa Grande High School in memory of the five people who died in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol building (OC Tribune photo).

A divided Garden Grove City Council on Tuesday night approved a resolution condemning the attack on the U.S Capitol by a violent mob on Jan. 6 that was protesting the certification of the results of Electoral College vote to make Joe Biden the next president.

The resolution was twice amended by Mayor Pro Tem/Councilmember Kim Nguyen (District 6), who originally proposed the measure.

Voting in favor were Mayor Steve Jones, Kim Nguyen and councilmembers John O’Neill and Diedre Thu-Ha Nguyen. Voting against were Councilmembers George Brietigam and Phat Bui. Councilmember Stephanie Klopfenstein was absent.

The resolution won approval after the mayor pro tem removed references to supporters of President Donald Trump.

Kim Nguyen introduced her resolution by recounting her feelings about the invasion of the Capitol building, putting legislators in mortal fear.

“They’re there to fight for us,” she said, “not literally to put their lives on the line.” She termed the attack to be domestic terrorism.

Brietigam said he was also outraged by the attack on the Capitol. “It’s beyond belief,” he said. However his objections to the resolution, even with the amendments, concerned his desire to put the violence in context.

He mentioned the disorder and property damage associated with protests in Portland, Seattle, New York and other cities sparked by the deaths of African Americans at the hands of police.

The effect is “the rule of law does not apply. As long as you’re protesting, there are no ramifications.”

A substitute motion by Brietigam drawing a parallel between the storming of the Capitol and riots that accompanied some “Black Lives Matter” protests failed on a 3-2 vote with O’Neill abstaining.  Brietigam’s motion was supported by Bui.

The council then – after much discussion – returned to the original motion and passed it.

Also Tuesday night, the council voted 6-0 to send a letter to state legislators in favor of amending state law to establish a 30-day residency requirement for candidates for elective office, or allow general law cities – such as Garden Grove – to enact such a requirement.

The next meeting of the council is set for Tuesday, Jan. 26.