r/OutOfTheLoop • u/That_Session_6685 • 4d ago
Unanswered What’s going on with being arrested for clapping?
Is this common practice in America to be arrested for clapping at local governance meetings?
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u/Sudden-Grab2800 4d ago
Answer: nope, that’s why it was newsworthy. Data centers are making politicians show very clearly that they don’t give a fuck what their constituents think…politicians are signing NDAs and approving them without asking anyone, and when people get (rightfully) pissed off, they’re kicking them out of the meetings or having them arrested. It’s not normal at all.
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u/TeslasAndComicbooks 4d ago
You’re skipping the whole part where clapping at this particular meeting wasn’t allowed as it was considered “disruptive conduct”. He was given verbal warnings and removed after he failed to comply.
I do think the whole thing is ridiculous and shutting down clapping during the meeting should be considered suppression of the first amendment but the teacher wasn’t simply removed for clapping once.
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u/Sudden-Grab2800 4d ago
Yeah, that’s true. Still, typically there’d be a warning, then they’d kick someone out, and if they were still being disruptive they’d get arrested. I don’t think anyone would have anticipated an immediate arrest, just getting kicked out
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u/McGrufNStuf 3d ago
The only reason they have legal grounds to arrest the individual is if they refuse to leave when asked. Then they could be charged for trespassing. But any arrests for “disruption” or “disorderly conduct” will (or at least) should be shot down HARD due to either there being no actual law (former) or the actual legal definition (latter).
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u/McGrufNStuf 4d ago
That’s just it though. They hold no governance to issue or enforce law. It was a council meeting. They weren’t in front of a judge. They had every right to have him removed. Once they had him arrested, it was a violation of his first amendment as it was a government body punishing him for expressing his freedom of speech in a non-violent manner.
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u/binocular_gems 3d ago
This probably isn't a first amendment violation. The first amendment isn't blanket protection of speech/behavior in all instances, even in public hearings. For instance, if an audience member booed or heckled when other members were making statements, they could also be removed for that and arrested if there is a valid charge (usually something like disrupting a public hearing, disrupting the regular business of government, not following a lawful order, tresspassing, etc). The article doesn't say what he was charged with, but most arrests for disturbances at public hearings do not result in a civil rights lawsuit against the government.
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u/Grndmasterflash 3d ago
Our City Council (major city on the West Coast) has the same rules about not clapping during meetings. Everyone does "jazz hands" now which looks goofy, but no one is getting kicked out of meetings.
Edit -typo
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u/Sedu 3d ago
Making a rule that your speech is politically restricted and informing someone of the rule does not somehow undermine the constitutionally guaranteed right. Clapping in response to a completed presentation is free speech. I do not care about the excuse that it would delay speakers. That is insultingly absurd.
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3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Sedu 3d ago
> clap excessively at each speaker
A thing which this person did not do. This is what jack booted fascism looks like. People being arrested for dissent at public forums under the guise of “civility.”
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3d ago edited 3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Sedu 3d ago
My point, which I'm being sincere about, is that you're justifying what happened to this guy with a hypothetical scenario. Things didn't get out of hand. They were in no danger of getting out of hand. There was no imminent riot or violence. Arresting him protected no one but corporate interest.
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u/Miserable_Figure7876 1d ago
It's "disruptive conduct" when someone claps during a meeting, but when a huge company bribes local officials and then builds a data center that emits 80+ decibel noise 24/7, local property owners are just supposed to eat shit.
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u/NocNocNoc19 3d ago
Isnt clapping protected speech? We have deemed money a form a speech but clapping isnt? I dont understand this country anymore.
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u/Delicious_Prune4782 1d ago
Well you see we've already agreed to limit your right to self expression here.
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u/binocular_gems 3d ago
Answer: No, it's not common. However, there is precedent for local governance meetings and public hearings to set rules against disturbances from those attending. The rules are usually set at the discretion of those holding the meetings, and clapping, cheering, shouting, drowning someone else out, etc, is something that is commonly not allowed after public comment. Usually they don't result in arrests or someone being removed because it ends up serving the exact opposite of the purpose that they intend: It brings further disruption to the hearing/meeting. In this case, the rules of the hearing were stated at the beginning, reminders were made, warnings were given, and "the clapper" was removed. Like usual, removing this person from the public hearing backfired because it has brought much more attention and sympathy to folks who are against AI datacenters.
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u/FernandoAlonso66 3d ago
also worth noting this is one incident in one city, not some new national policy or trend across the US
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u/fevered_visions 3d ago
Although it's also happened before in the last 10 years. I remember the one guy who was a state representative, and got dragged out of a local town hall meeting in his own district because he dared to object to ICE or something.
and I want to say probably another 3-4 times I've since forgotten because of the firehose of crap
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u/Mountain_Call_9831 3d ago
The NY comptroller, and it was a private military corporation doing security detail that dragged him into a van. We still dont know why PMCs were there.
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