Alabama mayor, councilman fight at City Hall

Tensions between mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, and a city council member escalated into a physical fight on Tuesday morning, sending both of the men to the hospital. No one else was in the room.

The mayor’s office says the warrant has been sent to Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper.

“The incident between the mayor and the councilor is very unfortunate, but it is indicative of the lack of respect, the lack of willingness to cooperate with council on any given topic”, Council President Johnathan Austin told WIAT.

According to the report, Bell told police he turned and tried leaving the room three times, but that Lundy closed the door each time before grabbing him by the neck from behind and putting him in a chokehold. Bell’s office denied it.

Both men were taken to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.

It’s not clear who started the fight or what it was over, but Bell spokeswoman April Odom said Lundy recently had to return the city auto he was driving because the law prohibits council members from having municipal vehicles.

When Bell said he would not stay and listen, Lundy twice pushed close the door to the room where they had been meeting, the report states.

Around 12 p.m., Birmingham City Council President Johnathan Austin released a statement saying Councilor Lundy will press charges against Mayor Bell. From there, the magistrate will swear out a warrant for the arrest of Councilor Lundy.

“This right here is ridiculous”, Austin said. This makes no sense.

“Lads have to grow up and be men and do the job they were elected to do”, she said.

The altercation is the latest escalation of a contentious relationship between the mayor and the Birmingham city council and it continued to play out in statements released after the fight.