Timing is important with clapping. No mention of what happened just before Lux clapped.

The small town of Emporia, Kansas is fighting against its city commission and a proposed hyperscale data center project that would sit on 1,000 acres of prairie land near Claridge’s home. Claridge attended a commission meeting on July 22 and planned to speak out against the project, but was dragged out of the meeting and arrested by police when they clapped during a presentation.

Emporia held Claridge for eight hours and charged them with disorderly conduct and interfering with a law enforcement officer. The city refused to show 404 Media a copy of the arrest report and has not responded to a request for comment about the dropped charges.

After Clardige’s arrest, Emporia’s city commission moved to virtual meetings and ended public comment. The city said it was doing so “in the interest of public safety.” According to Claridge, the city commission announced that in-person meetings with open public comments will return soon. “Our mayor is ‘willing to give us another shot to act like grown ups,’” Claridge said, quoting Emporia mayor Becky Smith. They added that the city will vote on whether or not to ban hyper-scale data centers outright in November.

According to a press release from the Emporia city commission, the city will meet in-person in a special session open to the public on August 26. “Public comment is expected to resume at the regular September 2 meeting,” the announcement said. In a different press release, the city said the November vote on a data center ban hinges on a County court giving it the OK.

These small town fucking assholes. Held them for EIGHT HOURS for clapping. Clapping.

What's the word I'm looking for... silencing dissent with force... oh yea, FASCISM.

After Clardige’s arrest, Emporia’s city commission moved to virtual meetings and ended public comment. The city said it was doing so “in the interest of public safety.”

As in they were doing that for their own safety after the guillotines started showing up but they still want the sweet data center money in their pockets, so let's just completely ignore what the public wants and do out meetings without public. Problem solved!

It would be fun if everyone in the town hall stood up and said "no" when the cops went to drag someone out.

I hope stories like these will get people to actually participate in local politics

There were never going to be any charges.

This episode of authoritarian dictatorship was about scaring other people to not do it again. You guys should remember that when the fat orange paedo dies and do something about all these pieces of shit lackeys and enablers.

(Well you should do something about the orange child rapist now. Today.
But, embarrassingly and laughingly yet amazingly, there doesn't seem to be anyone over there who has the spine to do anything about the slow, obese, dim witted, mushy brained dementia riddled, 80 year old tub of wobbling gonorrhoea. CHRIST.)

It's amazing to me how hard they are tipping their hand about knowing they're in the wrong AND being so fucking thin-skinned simultaneously

Hey good news! (clap clap)

...uhoh

Statute regarding Disorderly Conduct for the state of Kansas:
https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/laws/021_000_0000_chapter/021_062_0000_article/021_062_0003_section/021_062_0003_k/

Payday incoming. Make the people on that council personally liable.

Any reimbursements?

I hope he's able to sue the city and their police department and gets a fat cash settlement.

According to Claridge, the city commission announced that in-person meetings with open public comments will return soon. “Our mayor is ‘willing to give us another shot to act like grown ups,’” Claridge said, quoting Emporia mayor Becky Smith.

Oh, it's fucking clear who the children are in the room, bub.

And the laaaaaaand of the freeeeeeeeeeee