Marion Barry: I misspoke when I said 'Polacks'

WASHINGTON (AP) — D.C. Councilmember Marion Barry says he misspoke when he referred to the Polish community with the disparaging term “Polacks.”

Barry made the remark when he was meeting with Asian-Americans. That meeting was set up after Barry made two offensive statements last month about Asians. He later apologized.

Barry was asked Thursday about racial tensions in the United States and he said: “The Irish caught hell, the Jews caught hell, the Polacks caught hell.”

In a seven-word statement Friday, Barry says he misspoke and should have said Polish.

Gary Kenzer is the executive director of the Chicago-based Polish American Association. He has called on Barry to apologize to the Polish-American community.