Woman Arrested During City Council Meeting Sues

An Arizona woman arrested at a city council meeting has filed a lawsuit against the city and its mayor.

Rebekah Massie, 32, was removed from a city council meeting in Surprise, Arizona, last month after issuing complaints about the city attorney’s salary.

Massie’s time during a public comment period was cut off by Surprise Mayor Skip Hall.

She was arrested in front of her 10-year-old daughter.

Report: An Arizona woman was arrested after speaking at city council meeting. Rebekah Massie was hauled out of a city council meeting in Surprise, Arizona in front of her 10-year-old daughter after speaking on a city attorney’s salary during a sanctioned public comment period. pic.twitter.com/oApFL1KRTV

— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) September 10, 2024

Fox News reports:

Surprise Mayor Skip Hall cut her off minutes into her time on the podium, accusing her of “attacking the city attorney personally,” and told her that specifically criticizing any municipal employee or member of the council — regardless of whether it was by name — violated its policy, referring her to a note to that effect on the back of the council’s agenda.

“I could get up here and I could swear at you for three straight minutes, and it is protected speech by the Supreme Court,” Massie shot back, as seen in video of the incident.

“Do you want to be escorted out of here? You’ve got to stop talking,” Hall told her.

Massie reiterated that the policy is unconstitutional, and in response, Hall called Surprise Police Officer Steven Shernicoff to escort her from the building. When Massie argued, telling the officer not to touch her, he placed her in handcuffs and removed her from the room.

Massie’s attorney, Conor Fitzpatrick with the Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), said the woman was detained for at least two hours, given a “pretty invasive pat down” and fingerprinted — an ordeal that violated her Fourth Amendment rights, according to the lawsuit.

WATCH:

Arizona Mother Arrested and Charged with Trespassing at City Council Meeting

Why?

Because she exercised her Constitutional Right to Free Speech and questioned the City Attorneys salary.

Mayor Skip Hall interrupted her and demanded an officer forcibly remove her, accusing her… pic.twitter.com/SVli6WYyX1

— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) September 10, 2024

Rumble backup:

AZFamily noted:

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) is suing the city of Surprise, Mayor Skip Hall and a Surprise police officer after an activist was arrested at a City Council meeting two weeks ago.

Rebekah Massie was cited for trespassing after a heated confrontation with Mayor Hall.

FIRE argues Massie’s First Amendment rights were violated.

“Surprise’s actions set a terrible example for free expression in the United States,” said FIRE attorney Conor Fitzpatrick.

Hall cut off Massie while she was criticizing the city attorney during public comment.

Surprise has a city rule that says “oral communications during the City Council meeting can’t be used to lodge charges or complaints against any city employees.”

First Amendment experts say the government can place “reasonable” restrictions on speech like limiting the time people can talk during public comment.

However, Fitzpatrick argues this rule is unconstitutional and “places a muzzle on residents at public meetings.”

WATCH:

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.