Last Friday, the Los Angeles City Council voted to send the rent freeze ordinance, which would have imposed a four-month moratorium on rent hikes in many apartment buildings across the city, back to committee.

Though the council had approved the moratorium just two weeks earlier, Council President Eric Garcetti, 13th District, and Councilmember Bill Rosendahl, 11th District, both changed their votes, citing a desire to wait until a study of rent control had been completed before taking any action.

Tenants in rent-controlled buildings of more than five units will now face rent hikes of up to three percent in July.

The council’s change of heart sparked loud outbursts from renter’s rights advocates. The police were called in to deal with the situation, and attempted to forcibly remove the protesters from the John Ferraro Council Chamber. Three protesters were arrested, and one was injured in the scuffle.