Clap Back!

At a recent council meeting, the mayor scolded an audience of nearly 50 attendees for applauding after a resident spoke about raising her children in Shorewood. The mayor gaveled the residents and said that clapping or any other form of approval would intimidate those with opposing views and would not be allowed. It’s not the first time she has issued such a warning to residents. Is this stepping on free speech?

It appears the First Amendment has been tested and DOES give residents the right to clap after a speech at city council meetings. A judge ruled in a California case that clapping is an expression of approval and not intimidation. This stands as long as applauding is neither chaotic nor disruptive to the proceedings. The judge emphasized that disruption must be real, not just perceived. In other words, audiences are free to clap.

Additionally, this past year the Mayor has referred to city council meetings as “business meetings.” For that reason she said the meetings should not be interrupted with whispers, chatter from the audience, or people needing to speak a few seconds longer than the 5 minute rule. However, from the resident’s point of view, city council meetings are “public meetings” for residents to inform or challenge elected officials and administrators.

Nobody wants to interrupt the proceedings, but when staff, commissioners or even council knowingly or unknowingly provides incorrect information to the public, it becomes the people’s responsibility to provide the facts. This has never been so evident than the recent Watten Ponds discussion where the Planning Director provided misinformation to the council and the people from the audince spoke out with the correct information.

If the mayor or other council members don’t like the clapping or comments, they could change the rules to allow an orderly rebuttal from public participants.