YOUNGSTOWN - Youngstown city leaders say they will ask BCI to help investigate comments made during Wednesday night's city council meeting that they believe constitute "hate speech."

It's not clear who made the comments, but for the time being, a "live chat" function will no longer be active during some of the city's virtual meetings.

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Youngstown City Council -- like many communities and organizations -- has turned to online forums to hold their public meetings.

On Wednesday night, a live chat option on the city's YouTube page saw a series of comments that many would deem inappropriate.

"Not only being crude but really to me it's a hate speech that goes to a very threatening level," said City Law Director Jeff Limbian.

The comments came from multiple screen names. Those screen names themselves even questionable -- using racial slurs and sexually explicit language towards children.

The city is now asking the state to potentially assist in the investigation.

"Not knowing where it comes from, I'm hoping that the Ohio Attorney General and BCI may have maybe more leads on these kinds of things. My suspicion is we are not the only city in which this is happening," said Limbian.

In the meantime, the live chat function on the Youtube page has been turned off.

Residents, though, can still participate and have their voices heard.

"Still go on public record, as far as your statements go, and be heard by council, or make an appointment to speak at a city council meeting," said Councilman Julius Oliver. "You still want people to be able to voice their grievances, and be able to give praise where praise is due, but at the same time, we have to filter out situations like this."

"I think events in Washington have made this clear that hate speech can very quickly turn into something far more violent and far more ugly," said Limbian. "We can't just presume that because we are a small town in Northeast Ohio that we are immune from the dangers."