Person Opposing Data Center Arrested for Clapping at City Meeting
404 Media Matthew Gault
A physics teacher in Emporia, Kansas was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and interference with police after clapping at a city council meeting on July 22 while opposing a proposed 1,000-acre hyperscale data center. The meeting lasted nearly five hours with dozens of residents speaking against the project under a strict two-minute time limit, and commissioners had warned attendees not to clap or make noise. The city council voted 5-0 to approve the data center zoning measure despite overwhelming community opposition and the controversial arrest.
Why it matters
Police refused to release the arrest report, saying it could "could interfere with ongoing investigative efforts."
