Person Opposing Data Center Arrested for Clapping at City Meeting

2 days ago

A high school physics teacher, Lux Claridge, was arrested for clapping during a city council meeting in Emporia, Kansas.
Claridge attended the meeting to oppose a proposed hyperscale data center on 1,000 acres of rural land.
The city commissioner warned attendees not to clap; Claridge clapped after a speaker finished and was ordered to leave.
Claridge refused to leave, was handcuffed and dragged out by police, and later charged with disorderly conduct and interference with police.
The Emporia Police Department denied a public records request for the arrest report, citing an active criminal investigation.
The meeting lasted nearly five hours, with most residents opposing the data center; the commission voted 5-0 to approve it.
The data center's developer, Gary Pinkston, claimed in bankruptcy court that he was not involved with the project, contradicting an op-ed he published.
Claridge's brother, a candidate for state representative, condemned the arrest as a violation of First Amendment rights.

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