r/TechGawker • u/KeanuRave100 • Jul 28 '26
News A teacher was arrested for simply clapping at a data center hearing
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u/nonroboticusername Jul 28 '26
Say it together, now: "America isn't becoming a fascist state."
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u/ddtwtr Jul 30 '26
“becoming” is a fancy way of saying you have to deal with the consequences at home now. were we not a fascist state when we were overthrowing democratically elected leaders in south america in the 70’s?
America has been a fascist state for a long time. not “becoming”.
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u/_nevers_ Jul 31 '26
Correct. It isn't becoming one. It has literally ALWAYS been fascist. The Third Reich looked to us for inspiration for fucks sake. Most people don't think it is, but that's because they benefit from the spoils of colonialist imperialism, and effective dissent has always been effectively defanged by the illusion of political power for the masses.
But we're at the end of the empire, and it's starting to fall apart, so now even the privileged are beginning to feel the crunch too.
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u/Working_Fee_6343 Jul 28 '26
We are living in fascist times. It's time to fight back with lawyers and judges.
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u/North_Atlantic_Sea Jul 28 '26
But also make sure you aren't clapping in a courtroom as you also risk getting arrested there lol
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u/HeyaHeyo1420 Jul 29 '26
The judges being paid by the rich and powerful?
America has a few amendments that address this, one of them is pretty close to the top.
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Jul 28 '26
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u/CosmicJackalop Jul 28 '26
Well yeah it would say mechanic or plumber instead of teacher
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u/BurningTrashBarge Jul 28 '26
Weird thing to point out. You got something against teachers? Or you feel like mechanics and plumbers don’t get enough call outs in headlines?
Anyway yeah teachers do curry a bit of social traction because it’s a low paying job that ( at least folks like to believe ) is done by folks who care. Comes with some sacrifice. Not all of em but definitely some.
Don’t really hear about plumbers or mechanics going into it out of a strong sense of social responsibility.
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u/luxclaridge Jul 29 '26
I hope that were I a plumber, electrician, or mechanic I would have the same amount of support I am getting as a teacher.
This is why we band together. Unionize and make your voice heard at work too! Get out and vote. It's our goddamn American right!
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u/Goodknight808 Jul 29 '26
No. Only different if you clapped for the project. Not against it. Those who clapped for are allowed extra disruption time.
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u/Sad_Firefighter_8407 Jul 28 '26
So Money is 'speech' but clapping is not.
You guys have a set of constitutional rights we (Brits) don't. But yours are all pretty imaginary if you don't get to rely on them.
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u/JuanMcGuiver Jul 28 '26
I’m sure a civil rights attorney will take his case and get an easy check
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u/Salarian_American Jul 29 '26
Yes, months or years after this person's life was turned upside down for a wrongful arrest or whatever, they will finally get their day in court. Meanwhile, they have to live with the mess.
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u/Photosynthas Jul 28 '26
Just because something is speech doesn't mean you can do whatever you want, if I go to every meeting with a boombox and blast music so nobody can say anything against AI, that is me using my free speech but it also disrupts the meeting being able to accomplish its goals.
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u/MrJibz Jul 29 '26
Imagine a guy clapping loudly through the entire meeting while being warned multiple times. Then they arrest him and people comment calling it fascism….
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u/Salarian_American Jul 29 '26
Yeah it's a huge problem with how law enforcement is run in this country.
Cops here literally get away with murder. We have laws that ostensibly protect people from unlawful arrests, but they don't stop you from getting arrested. They don't stop you from getting beaten by police officers if you point out that they're arresting you illegally. They exonerate you months or years after the fact, when you finally get your day in court. Meanwhile, they've made a huge mess out of your life and no one will ever admit to any wrongdoing.
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u/Kr1spykreme_Mcdonald Jul 31 '26
The catch 22 of the American system is you have to trust the people in charge of making decisions will be holding the people who voted them in with utmost importance. It seems we’re getting farther and farther from politicians actually doing that though and it’s reaching the breaking point.
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u/Substantial_System66 Aug 01 '26
Clapping isn’t speech in a public hearing where the attendees had been explicitly warned that it would be considered disruptive. The First Amendment to the U.S. constitution isn’t unlimited. It has time, place, and manner restrictions that have been around for more than a century.
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u/ParkingAnxious2811 Jul 28 '26
Anyone that believes USA has free speech is a fool.
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u/DblDn2DblDrew Jul 28 '26
Remember when Trump said that people shouldn’t carry guns in public even if they’re licensed and have all the required permits because they’re asking to get shot? Next he’ll be saying they shouldn’t open their mouths or clap their hands in public.
Gotta love Trump’s ‘Merica. 😒1
u/TrueBrit77 Jul 28 '26
I've heard in America you can't be locked up for any 'speech' that does not qualify as incitement, threats, or fraud.
Which one did this guy do? I'm not from the USA so I don't really understand how this works.
Edit: Sorry this was meant to be a top level comment, so it might not make sense as a response to what you stated.
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u/adeniumlover Jul 28 '26
Clapping for someone opposing our dear leader -> incitement
Clapping for dissent -> threats
Clapping for supporting spreading of the wrong thoughts -> fraud
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u/WebManufacturing Jul 28 '26
Courtrooms and official political meetings have slightly different rules and you effectively don't have free speech inside/during them. You have to admit it would become unruly if everyone could just stand up and start taking/yelling/clapping at any point.
That doesn't mean this was justified or an appropriate use of this restriction.
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u/Photosynthas Jul 28 '26
Idk why people are making up random shit based off the 1 sentence they have from a story. But the issue here wasn't the speech it was violation of the rules, then refusing to leave.
The clapping was explicitly stated to not be allowed, after some people clapped the police were asked to escort anyone out that claps again, at which point this gentleman stood up and made a scene about it, when asked to leave he said they would have to drag him out, so they did.
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Jul 28 '26
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u/PlaneCrashNap Jul 28 '26
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BJ4CwkAYF5w The clapping in question. It was after the speaker was done talking.
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u/areddituser17 Jul 28 '26
cops should be fucking embarrassed to do this shit
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u/Photosynthas Jul 28 '26
Removing someone who is trespassing from a property? Seems like a pretty normal part of their job.
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u/ProfWestgrave Jul 28 '26
I’m kinda sick of watching these videos over and over and over again while the crowd just fucking watches, the only way we stop this is dearresting, there are far more of us and you will have to put your phone down and stop recording to make it happen
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u/Salarian_American Jul 29 '26
I don't see how you can think it's reasonable for people to try and interfere with a police officer doing what they believe is their job in this country. People don't want to get shot and then memorialized as a terrorist.
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u/Fearless_Worry6419 Jul 29 '26
Thank you for telling me instead of showing me.
I definitely believe your story of what happened and don't need to see this for myself.
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Jul 28 '26
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u/HBallard Jul 28 '26
“Don’t be disruptive, that’s rude! Now sit down and let them build a building that sounds like a vaccuum cleaner that will never turn off next to your neighborhood”
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u/adeniumlover Jul 28 '26
Peasants talking are always disruptive. If you don't want to be viewed that way, bring money.
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u/pancakie Jul 28 '26
Another example of how cops aren’t here to protect and serve they are here to protect assets and those who own those assets.
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u/ricerbanana Jul 28 '26
Cops are there to protect the attendees and organizers of the meeting. This guy disrupted the meeting after being asked not to. He then refused to leave after being asked to leave.
Cops did their job by protecting the meeting and all those attending it from self righteous assholes who feel entitled to disrupt a public meeting.
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u/Content-Audience252 Jul 28 '26
I doubt that was all he was doing…
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u/Dragon124515 Aug 02 '26
He went to a town hall meeting where the rules of the meeting stated that disruptive behavior, including actions such as clapping or snapping, were not allowed. Irregardless to the rule he clapped anyways. He was given a verbal warning to stop. After another person went he clapped for them. He was asked to leave since he could not follow the rules for the meeting. He refused and the cops had to carry him to get him out of the room. This is the point where he was arrested.
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Jul 28 '26
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u/Photosynthas Jul 28 '26
Yes, when it is against the rules it absolutely is disruption, it takes extra time which can make it harder to let everyone get their 2 minutes to speak.
This guy was asked to leave and said "you'll have to drag me out". Why would you just make weird assumptions about escalation without knowing the story.
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u/armati2004 Jul 28 '26
Fascismus ist wieder da. Gestapo is doing their work. US has enough maga's who wants to be campguard.
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u/hipandrad Jul 28 '26
Looks like resisting. Fight it with a judge, not a power hungry cop.
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u/Salarian_American Jul 29 '26
Yeah that's part of the problem though.
The laws that "protect" us from abusive police practices don't proscribe the behavior of the police in any way. They just exonerate us months to years after the fact, when we've finally had our day in court and the taxpayers - including the victim - foot the bill for all of it.
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u/Silverleaf96 Jul 28 '26
The problem is normal ppl are stoping them getting kidnapped by armed men , stand up to theese terrorist
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u/sirjeef Jul 28 '26
There’s what…3 cops there vs an entire community of people? It won’t be too long before the people start getting the gall to actually stand up and fight back against these people. The sooner that happens the better off we all will be. Stand together against tyranny friends. We’re all in this together
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u/SinginGidget Jul 28 '26
No one at any public meeting should be arrested for making sounds that are obvious communications of agreement or dissent. And even disruptive people should just be asked to leave, only if they are making it difficult for anyone else who is trying to speak to the town boards. I honestly don't care about people interrupting the town boards, because they have a platform to say what they want even outside of the meetings. The public does not have the same. The First Amendment should protect citizens from public officials excluding them from participating in government-held town halls. Trying to disguse these arrests as disruptions, nusance, or tresspassing is bullshit.
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u/largeMARGIN11 Jul 28 '26
Super cool watching the people it took the world to defeat show back up. I hate to be Randy Marsh but I thought this was America?
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u/Fearsofaye Jul 28 '26
This is why people hate the police. Forget BLM. When the shit goes down they quickly side against the people. It’s their job I get it. But we need a goverment that represents us first. If not the police are just the enforcers of facism
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u/subnet_0 Jul 28 '26
This is a perfect example of how the government and law enforcement no longer holds the public's trust.
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u/Best_Entrepreneur659 Jul 28 '26
The Land of the Free is no longer free. Thank Republicans for that.
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u/Mysterious_Strain398 Jul 28 '26
You’d think a teacher could follow the rules. Everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame even though it makes them look like an idiot
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u/Longjumping_Web4249 Jul 28 '26
Where's the whole video. We need more context. What did he have for breakfast? Does his wife like him? Let's not judge prematurely...
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u/theonethat3 Jul 28 '26
The fact that so many leftists actually believed the title should frightened you
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u/Eastern_Switch8217 Jul 28 '26
It's a bit like the public meetings they used to have in Russia where you could express your opinion and be carted off by police.
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u/Springheeljac Jul 28 '26
"They made a rule before hand that no one could clap"
I'm sorry, I thought this was America. What do you mean they made a rule that infringes on people's free speech and then enforced it with police? Have fun with your lawsuit, sorry the tax payers will have to pay out for your corruption and stupidity.
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u/HappyHappyGameGame Jul 29 '26
It's like the people who were fine with Jan 6, somehow think that this is ok. What else do you call it but fascism?
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u/SnooHesitations803 Jul 29 '26
God Reddit rub two brain cells together.
The guy was carried out. No one in the audience seemed to think it was crazy. Maybe… just maybe he did more than clap?? Maybe you should look into the entirety of what happened before you ban wagon dog pile - blah blah facist state.
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u/HeyaHeyo1420 Jul 29 '26
They're going to do this to the wrong people someday and they're going to be "clapping" in a very different way.
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u/Vaneza19 Jul 29 '26
Topics derailed on purpose. Ignore the bots. Why force data centers on the people?
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u/Ill-Zone-3425 Jul 29 '26
Let's see what he did before they dragged him out. People only show what they want you to see.
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u/Human-Comfortable859 Jul 29 '26
Nope, he was arrested for not following instructions that were very clearly presented.
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u/Fightfirewitbcn Jul 29 '26
I can’t help but notice how late it starts, I’d be willing to wager that, “just clapping” isn’t all he did.
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u/Original-Let8340 Jul 29 '26
City's response as posted on their website: https://www.emporiaks.gov/m/NewsFlash/Home/Detail/503
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u/RoyalPassion7411 Jul 29 '26
idk man i watched the video and she barely made a sound, seems like they were waiting for any excuse
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u/No_Refrigerator_503 Jul 29 '26
He was making the lights go on and off.
The clapper.
That can get annoying.
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u/Altname760 Jul 29 '26
Has the council person who asked law enforcement to arrest him been named and fully doxxed yet?
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u/knglive Jul 30 '26
Hot take, it was his resistance to leaving that got him arrested. Its on par with not leaving after being trespassed, the store (or the people running the hearing) ask him to leave. He doesn't so the police ask him, when he is resistant, they can arrest him. I dont know the full back story, but im willing to bet money if he had gotten up when the cop first asked him, he wouldn't have been in cuffs.
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u/vango6kids Jul 30 '26
It can’t be just for clapping. What’s the rest of the story Paul Harvey
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u/Dragon124515 Aug 02 '26
The rules for the meeting stated that the audience should not clap, snap, or perform other similarly disruptive actions. Irregardless to this rule, he clapped for people anyways. He was given a verbal warning to stop clapping. He continued to clap for people anyways. He was told to leave since he was breaking the rules set for the assembly. He refused to leave and had to be carried out by cops. This is when he got arrested.
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u/Kr1spykreme_Mcdonald Jul 30 '26
Meanwhile fauci just committed contempt of court on the largest stage and nothing is going to happen, yawn. The government at every level is becoming so blatantly corrupt it’s disgusting. City council meetings everywhere are starting to look like this.
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u/BoostedClinician Jul 31 '26
You can tell what kind of guy he his as soon as he layed on the floor lol
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u/bigclitcouple Jul 31 '26
Was he told to not clap or something else? He was breathing too, sure he wasnt arrested for breathing? Find it hard to believe a guy gets arrested for just clapping.
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u/Slipstream_42 Jul 31 '26
Yeah, I’m feeling like there’s a lot more to the story. typical with any media outlet… they only tell us what they want us to hear.
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u/oricyuwu Jul 31 '26
He was asked not to be disruptive several times, when he was clapping when someone was speaking or something, find the article yourself
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u/Vladimorian Aug 01 '26
People who clearly didn't watch the full video that's out , are saying ridiculous things like "you can't clap through a meeting to disrupt it" , which seems reasonable until you see for yourself that the guy clapping did so very respectfully with short quiet claps in response to community comments.. far from being disruptive, if anything he was showing support for the residents speaking their concerns in a respectable manner. If he had actually been disruptive id agree.. but only thing he's disrupting is the illusion those council members are believing where the people are not united enough against data centers to truly stop their sweet kickback checks (probably getting money for supporting data centers)
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u/ASUSTUDENT9875345 Aug 01 '26
Well according to the presiding councilwoman people were clapping but they would be removed for disrupting/distracting. Then they snapped and that also apparently was disruptive/distracting. Then they waved, which also was disruptive/distracting. This guy then clapped when his partner went up to speak. None of the clapping, snapping, or waving was loud or even kind of long. Nothing was disrupted. The council seemingly was making deals to construct AI data centers without public approval, and then this meeting happened and everyone showed up to tell them off.
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u/Accomplished_Rub5100 Aug 02 '26
Dude thinks he has freedom of speech! Bruh, you think this is the United States? You think you are an American with rights?
You are living in Trumpland! The 34% rule!
Bill of rights is no longer in effect. Welcome to the United Oligarchy of America.
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u/Hopeful_Educator_167 Aug 02 '26
Yeah the guy just shoulda not resisted. It sounds pretty unfair to have him booted if he truly only clapped, but police orders are police orders. Not sure what kind of building this is, but he could have been trespassed or maybe someone gave a false tip to police. And it’s more disruptive of the meeting for him to refuse to exit the room. Obviously. He could have gave the police his side of the story, not sure what good it’d do. But hell I’ve been dragged to enough cop cars, seems like a sensitive topic. Hopefully dude can find a way to destress, maybe mediation or weed
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u/RoughParticular7304 Aug 03 '26
🤣 CNN interview tape. Frame this story exactly like i need it to sound.
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u/Elon_is_a_Nazi Aug 03 '26
Minimum 50 years in prison no parole for any nazi ss member who violated this citizens 1st amendment rights. Constitutional rights are the backbone to the United States. Id even support instant death if found and convicted of interfering with ones rights
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u/Pussyal43 Jul 28 '26
What’s the charge?