By Greg Milam, US Correspondent
The mayor of one of America's biggest cities is defying calls to resign despite allegations he sexually harassed more than a dozen women.
Bob Filner is due to return to work as the mayor of San Diego in California on Monday despite pressure to step down even from senior fellow Democrats.
The 70-year-old former congressman says he has undergone a course of therapy to address his behaviour but campaigners are pressing ahead with an effort to drive him from office.
Mr Filner could face a recall election if opponents can collect 100,000 signatures in the next month.
On Friday, the latest woman to accuse him of harassment appeared at a news conference. Great-grandmother Peggy Shannon says the mayor grabbed and kissed her and made inappropriate comments.
In a message to Mr Filner, the 67-year-old, who works part-time at City Hall, said: "I want to protect working women. It is long overdue for you to do the right thing and the right thing now is for you to go."
Earlier this week, Hooters banned Mr Filner from its restaurants Over the past few weeks, accusations have been made by former campaign employees of Mr Filner and senior figures in military and political life in San Diego. Even victims of sexual assault in the military, who went to him for help, have alleged inappropriate behaviour.
The fast food chain Hooters, which prides itself on being "delightfully tacky", has barred the mayor from its San Diego restaurants.
Mr Filner has apologised for his behaviour in a video message posted on the city's website. But he continues to refuse to stand down.
Mr Filner says he has had therapy He said: "I reached into my heart and soul and realised I must and will change my behaviour. As someone who has spent a lifetime fighting for equality for all people, I am embarrassed to admit that I have failed to fully respect the women who work for me and with me."
But there was little sympathy for the mayor when Sky News spoke to locals on San Diego's famed Pacific Beach. None thought he should remain in office.
Some of those who have made allegations against Mr Filner are being assisted by the high-profile lawyer Gloria Allred.
She said the victims were delivering a strong message to the mayor: "Your days of fun and games and sexual harassment of women are over. It is time for you to go."
Rachel Laing, who is part of the team behind the petition to recall the mayor, said the allegations against Mr Filner were starting to embarrass the city.
She said: "He's absolutely damaged our reputation. We're the eighth largest city in the US and we've got a mayor who is a groper that refuses to resign, that we're having all this trouble kicking out of office, it doesn't look good on us."
Rachel Laing wants Mr Filner kicked out office Political analysts say it will be extremely hard for campaigners to force Mr Filner out of office. They describe him as tenacious and determined to see through an agenda that won him the job.
But Carl Luna, visiting professor of political science at the University of San Diego, said politicians were learning some hard lessons about the impact of scandals..
He said: "In a modern age of greater understanding of the problems of things like sexual harassment, behaviour that you used to be able to get away with, you simply can't anymore.
"Men and power and sex is an age old story. In an age of Twitter, it is a lot harder to keep it contained."
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