BUFFALO, N.Y. — Controversial new district lines were approved unanimously by the Buffalo Common Council Tuesday.

The vote, which took roughly two minutes, came after weeks of protests from people who said the map takes power away from the people – specifically minorities.

The new map tweaks old boundaries, but critics say changes are not enough to properly represent Buffalo’s communities.

“Not only did the work of the common council lack genuine transparency, but it makes a hash of the city,” said community activist India Walton. “Splitting neighborhoods, disrespecting BIPOC residents and [...] ignoring requirements to keep districts compact and with regular shapes.”

Activists began chanting while council members left the chambers as the meeting adjourned.

“I've never seen a district map done [where] somebody didn't say, ‘gerrymandering,’” said Darius Pridgen, the president of Buffalo Common Council. “...We're living in a day and age right now that when rooms are charged and heated, I don't want to add to that.”

Our City Action Buffalo put together their own map, which they said gave minority communities stronger voting power.

“We didn't have to pause the process," Pridgen said. "We actually paused the process for weeks and went and looked at the map to see if we can even consider that map.”

Pridgen explained that the new map came too late.

“The council still has the same exact responsibility,” he said. “You have to take the map that is sent to you from the commission.”

He added that they can’t add districts without a referendum, and strangely-shaped districts still exist to try and keep communities that were alike together, while keeping populations of those districts similar.

“It wasn't done to take anything away from anybody," Pridgen said. "It was a very, very difficult process.”

That was not enough for community activists, who are keeping their eyes on 2023 when all council members will be up for re-election.

“Vote them out,” demonstrators chanted Tuesday. “Vote them out.”

The new map now heads to Mayor Byron Brown’s desk. If approved, Our City Action Buffalo says they will “pursue every possible legal angle” to challenge this decision, adding “equity and justice for Buffalo is not only possible, it’s inevitable.”

The statement released Tuesday by Our City Action Buffalo says in full:

"Thousands of Buffalonians spent months asking the Buffalo Common Council to let them be part of a process that will impact their lives for the next decade. Instead of taking that opportunity to engage people in a robust and democratic process, they treated their constituents with contempt and chose to make decisions behind closed doors. The wrongs of history won’t be righted, unfortunately, by our elected officials. Today though, we’re hopeful that a court of law will. Equity and Justice for Buffalo is not only possible, it’s inevitable."