Mayor Karen Bass unleashes tough talk with Nithya Raman ‘bow before you kill’
Mayor Karen Bass made headlines recently for showcasing her impressive fighting skills during her reelection kickoff event in Lemiert Park. The mayor, who holds two brown belts in karate, wowed the crowd with her martial arts prowess and shared that she often gets criticized for being “too nice.” Bass emphasized that her karate training has prepared her for any challenges and shared a valuable lesson from her years of practice: “bow before you kill.”
The mention of her fighting skills drew applause from the audience at the event and quickly gained traction online as clips of her statement circulated widely. Bass and Councilwoman Nithya Raman, who recently entered the Mayor’s race, have a long-standing political alliance and have worked closely together since Raman’s arrival at City Hall. The mayor has previously supported Raman, helping elevate her profile within Democratic power circles.
Despite their past alliance, the entry of Raman into the race came as a surprise to Bass, who acknowledged that the councilwoman had been one of her strong allies. Now, the two are in a high-stakes contest that could potentially divide the city’s progressive base and force various groups to choose sides.
Both candidates share similarities in their backgrounds, with Bass having a strong institutional support and name recognition as a former U.S. congresswoman and state Assembly speaker, while Raman has built her reputation as a grassroots organizer and gained national progressive backing. Their differing approaches to key issues such as homelessness, policing, and development set the stage for a campaign that will likely focus on competing visions for governing Los Angeles rather than party lines.
The California Post reached out to the mayor’s office for further clarification on her remarks but had not received a response at the time of publication. Stay tuned for more updates on the Mayor’s race and the evolving dynamics between Karen Bass and Nithya Raman.
