The small town of Emporia, Kansas is fighting against its city commission and a proposed hyperscale data center project that would sit on 1,000 acres of prairie land near Claridge’s home. Claridge attended a commission meeting on July 22 and planned to speak out against the project, but was dragged out of the meeting and arrested by police when they clapped during a presentation.

Emporia held Claridge for eight hours and charged them with disorderly conduct and interfering with a law enforcement officer. The city refused to show 404 Media a copy of the arrest report and has not responded to a request for comment about the dropped charges.

After Clardige’s arrest, Emporia’s city commission moved to virtual meetings and ended public comment. The city said it was doing so “in the interest of public safety.” According to Claridge, the city commission announced that in-person meetings with open public comments will return soon. “Our mayor is ‘willing to give us another shot to act like grown ups,’” Claridge said, quoting Emporia mayor Becky Smith. They added that the city will vote on whether or not to ban hyper-scale data centers outright in November.

According to a press release from the Emporia city commission, the city will meet in-person in a special session open to the public on August 26. “Public comment is expected to resume at the regular September 2 meeting,” the announcement said. In a different press release, the city said the November vote on a data center ban hinges on a County court giving it the OK.

These small town fucking assholes. Held them for EIGHT HOURS for clapping. Clapping.

I haven't followed this story at all. Were they just clapping normally in agreement with something someone said or were they being disruptive with their clapping?

Lux Claridge, an Emporia High School physics teacher, was arrested after clapping during the meeting. Commissioners had warned those in attendance against disruptive behavior, including clapping, snapping or rude comments. Claridge and several others clapped in support of speakers opposing the Flint Hills Digital Campus data center. After commissioners issued a final warning, Claridge continued to clap, leading to their arrest.

“I’m glad to be out — but this is an inconvenience, really. It’s not really deterring me from speaking out or I guess, clapping,” Claridge said.

The city claims it was disruptive, but they also disallowed "snapping or rude comments". Considering they dropped all charges with no prejudice, the city was in the wrong here.

I don't have a direct link to a file but here's a clip on a regional (Nebraska) news affiliate:

https://www.ksnblocal4.com/2026/07/27/teacher-arrested-repeatedly-clapping-favor-data-center-opponents-during-city-commission-meeting/

pretty boring regular clapping. by the way, the speaker he clapped for right before getting arrested: his wife. literally applauding his wife for speaking up at town meeting.

they probably asked everyone to remain completely silent and had setup"rules" for applause between speakers... knowing that 1) they don't want people to get riled up 2) it gives them pretense to remove people who say literally anything when not standing at the podium.

What's the word I'm looking for... silencing dissent with force... oh yea, FASCISM.

Man claps for his wife and gets arrested. That's true love.

Well that seems like a clear violation of free speech

In the cause against earth-destroying data centers, no less.

This physics teacher is a hero.

I imagine he'll receive deep respect and endless accolades from staff, students, and the community at large.

It would be fun if everyone in the town hall stood up and said "no" when the cops went to drag someone out.

Considering they dropped all charges with no prejudice, the city was in the wrong here.

FYI: "without prejudice" means that the city prosecutors are free to refile the charges again at a later date. Or they can file a different set of charges for the same conduct.

Holding someone for 8 hours for disruptive clapping would also be ridiculous.

I hope stories like these will get people to actually participate in local politics

I hope stories like these will make people actually participate in local politics

I hope stories pike these will make people participate in local politics

I hope stories like these will make people actually participate in local politics

I hope stories pike these will make people participate in local politics

I like these local stories that (I hope!) will make people participate in politics

I hope politics will make local people that I like participate in these stories

I hope i s e e a pa n the r

There were never going to be any charges.

This episode of authoritarian dictatorship was about scaring other people to not do it again. You guys should remember that when the fat orange paedo dies and do something about all these pieces of shit lackeys and enablers.

(Well you should do something about the orange child rapist now. Today.
But, embarrassingly and laughingly yet amazingly, there doesn't seem to be anyone over there who has the spine to do anything about the slow, obese, dim witted, mushy brained dementia riddled, 80 year old tub of wobbling gonorrhoea. CHRIST.)

But what if the clapping hurt my feelings or made me scared I won’t get my way?

Because he comes from the group of people who really call the shots. So he knows how to appease them behind closed doors. All the rest is political theatre.

You got me

Yeah, totally justified then

Sounds like he has a case against the city for false arrest or something. Scare them back.

Yeah I would think so as well. The guy literally was saying that ordering him removed was illegal, as it was being commanded and carried out. He didn't resist at all, simply went limp.

Sue the mayor, sue the cops. False detainment.

Start a go fund me or something for the legal fund, I'd guess the internet would help.

You seem very passionate about directing others to put their lives and livelihoods on the line. Perhaps if you feel so strongly you should do something yourself?

Ahhh internet poetry!

5 claps when the speaker finished. What a disruption! I seriously thought this guy was clapping for 2 minutes straight or something and delayed the meeting.

Payday incoming. Make the people on that council personally liable.

After Clardige’s arrest, Emporia’s city commission moved to virtual meetings and ended public comment. The city said it was doing so “in the interest of public safety.”

As in they were doing that for their own safety after the guillotines started showing up but they still want the sweet data center money in their pockets, so let's just completely ignore what the public wants and do out meetings without public. Problem solved!

Judging from the fact that they say "over there", they are of that rare type of people who don't live in the US.

I picked up on that. But my premise stands if they are that passionate that they feel the need to direct others to endanger themselves, then they should try to take some direct action.

How do you expect us to influence US politics, directly at that, from the outside exactly?

Donating to political parties, lobbying for your interests etc.

But telling Americans to attack our fellow countrymen or endanger our livelihoods isn’t going to inspire us. Just like an American directing you to attack yours would likely not work either.

I'm supposed to donate to political parties of a country I don't live in and am not a citizen of? What?

Sounds like the public should start expressing their disagreement at the commissions' front lawns instead.

Perhaps you can adopt that same attitude when telling citizens of another country what to do?

But talk is cheap.

It also keeps speakers from knowing that everybody supports them.

What if EVERYBODY clapped anyway? Are they going to arrest the entire room? What if they blocked the doors, and wouldn't allow the cowardly cops to leave with the person they're trying to arrest?

There are too many dumb Americans that voted for him, this is what they wanted.

Wow, their city commission is really shit. As if open meetings is a privilege and not a right.

But there are no popular alternatives so these dickheads will be re-elected.

What "same attitude"?

Mate. The mess in the US is affecting everyone. EVERYONE on Earth. So we reserve the right to tell you to fucking get your shit straightened out already because unfortunately we cannot call the police on you when you burn tires in your front yard and blast your music and fire your guns at bottles and bother your neighbours for sugar at 2 in the morning and demand that people pay a toll when they cross the bridge 5 streets over.

If this was south asia, the villagers would've burned down the authorities' houses.

our fellow countrymen

Such kind words... guess you voted for him.

Dismissing with no prejudice means no prejudice towards the prosecution, they can refile this charge.

Dismissing with prejudice means the authorities are forbidden from refiling the charges.

But clearly, we don't need the hack traitor aristocrat tool cunt prosecutor dropping charges to know the city was in the wrong here.

Statute regarding Disorderly Conduct for the state of Kansas:
https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/laws/021_000_0000_chapter/021_062_0000_article/021_062_0003_section/021_062_0003_k/

Hey good news! (clap clap)

...uhoh

It's amazing to me how hard they are tipping their hand about knowing they're in the wrong AND being so fucking thin-skinned simultaneously

It's like not being a shitbag never occurred to them as an option.

Facts might be uncomfortable and hard to swallow… but they are Americans.

We may not agree with them and abhor their policies but they are our fellow countrymen. The rest of the world certainly sees them that way.

dO sOmEtHiNg

You're a plane ticket away. Come walk the walk or shut the fuck up. That particular pants-shitting dimwit happens to have the Secret Service surrounding him. I'll even pay your airfare since you're so much cooler and tougher than all of us.

The mess in the US is affecting everyone. EVERYONE on Earth.

So why aren't you doing anything?

I keep asking what we're supposed to do from the outside. I cannot walk over to the US's house and into the US's living room and turn off the music and tell them to go the fuck to sleep it is 2 am on a work day and they're keeping the entire street awake. I'd probably be shot.

The rest of the world certainly sees them that way.

If you say so...