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If you’re among the millions of US citizens against power-hungry data centers going up in your town, you may want to be careful about how you exercise your First Amendment right to protest.
Last week, high school physics teacher Lux Claridge was hauled out of a public meeting by four police officers for the baffling crime of clapping in support of an anti-data center speaker. During the public comment portion of the meeting, held by the Emporia City Commission in Lyon County, Kansas, residents who showed up to voice opposition to a 1,000-acre data center project were warned against “clapping” and “snapping” in support of speakers.
“It was very clear at the beginning that each person is given their two minutes, and we’re trying to be respectful of that,” Emporia commissioner Monica Duncan warned those in attendance, footage of the meeting shared on social media shows. “Snapping, clapping, any other rude comments or anything — we will ask you to leave.”
As one speaker later wrapped up her two-minute comment period, stating “we are the people, and the table belongs to us,” Claridge was filmed clapping his hands together a total of six times.
“Chief, will you take the next person out that claps or anything?” an unidentified commissioner, likely Duncan, then asked Emporia police chief Ed Owens.
At the commissioners’ request, four police officers then swarmed Claridge, who challenged them to “drag me out,” which they did after placing the physics teacher in handcuffs.
A man clapped once during public comment at a data-center zoning meeting in Emporia, Kansas.
They arrested him.
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