An Everett city councilor and a city official recently criticized for racist and offensive behavior are both stepping down, Mayor Carlo DeMaria announced Monday. Councilor Anthony DiPierro resigned his elected position, effective immediately, and the mayor’s press secretary Deanna Deveney is stepping down.

The mayor announced the departures Monday afternoon, in advance of a rally against racism planned that night across from City Hall. Both were recently seen making made racially offensive comments on a leaked Zoom video, apparently after a city meeting. Outraged residents had been urging DiPierro to step down for over two months, since the public release of text messages and memes he had sent to other city officials using the N-word.