Kansas high school teacher dragged out, arrested for clapping at city meeting over proposed data center
A Kansas high school teacher was arrested and dragged out of a contentious city zoning meeting for continuously clapping in opposition to a proposed data center.Lux Claridge was yanked out of a chair by three police officers and carried out of the Emporia City Commission meeting on July 22 for seemingly disobeying the mayor’s orders regarding clapping against the controversial Flint Hills Digital Campus data center proposed in Emporia, Kansas, the Emporia Police said.“During the course of the meeting, several individuals in attendance were issued verbal warnings by the City Commission regarding disruptive conduct that was interrupting the proceedings.Claridge, a 37-year-old physics teacher at Emporia High School, was among the dozen residents in the audience who opposed the data center, according to KWCH.Several oppositionists gave comments and testimonials against the 1,000-acre, gigawatt-scale project that garnered rounds of applause, which provoked one board official to call for order against the clapping that was “rude and disruptive.”After another woman’s comments, several audience members gave silent jazz hand applause, but Claridge clapped roughly five times, prompting Mayor Becky Smith to call for police action.Officers surrounded Claridge, who had been sitting waiting to speak, and ordered the resident to leave the room.“Hi, I’d like to speak,” Claridge told the officers.“I have a right to clap,” Claridge can be heard saying, before telling officers to “drag me out” of the meeting.Claridge resisted detainment, forcing the officers to carry the clapper out as the teacher’s stunned wife fought back tears at the podium.“Claridge did not comply with law enforcement’s efforts to remove him from the premises, requiring officers to physically carry him out of the meeting,” Emporia police said.Claridge was arrested and booked into the Lyon County Jail on charges of interference with law enforcement and disorderly conduct.
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