Man arrested while speaking at Newton city council

Noah Petersen had just started his public comments criticizing police, when the mayor put a stop to it. He was eventually handcuffed at the podium.

Noah Petersen had just started his public comments criticizing police, when the mayor put a stop to it. He was eventually handcuffed at the podium.

RIGHTS. NOAH PETERSON’S PUBLIC COMMENTS DURING A COUNCIL MEETING QUICKLY TURNED INTO A RUN IN WITH POLICE. HE REFUSED TO STOP TALKING AND HE LEFT CITY HALL IN HANDCUFFS AT NEWTON COUNCIL MEETINGS, THE PUBLIC HAS UP TO 3 MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS. NOAH PETERSON TRIED TO USE HIS TIME TO CRITICIZE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SPECIFIC ACTIONS. HE DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS AN ACTIVIST DEFENDING NEWTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY ARE A VIOLENT CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATING ORGANIZATION. MAYOR MICHAEL HANSEN JUMPED IN, BANGING THE GAVEL. IT’S ABOUT THAT DOMESTIC WATER SERVICE THAT NOT YOU AS A REPORTER. AS I WAS SAYING, CHIEF, THE BACK AND FORTH CONTINUED UNTIL PETERSON WAS ORDERED TO BE REMOVED. MASSACHUSETTS BROUGHT THIS GENTLEMAN OUT OF THE CHAMBERS. AS I WAS SAYING, OC FUNDS FROM POLICING TO ACTUALLY HELP PEOPLE. THE CHIEF ESCORT THIS GENTLEMAN FROM THE CHAMBER. HE ME GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME. LET’S GO. NO, I’M SPEAKING. MY THREE MINUTE PERIOD. YOU’RE THROUGH. I HAVE TO SEATS. YES, NAZIS. I HAVE A RIGHT TO CRITICIZE THE GOVERNMENT. IF I WANT TO CRITICIZE THE GOVERNMENT, YOU ARE VIOLATING. YOU ARE VIOLATING THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND YOU ARE VIOLATING THE FIRST AMENDMENT. YOU WILL BE ARRESTED IF YOU DON’T ARREST ME. THEN HE WAS ARRESTED FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT. NOW THE COUNCIL RULES FOR THE COMMENT PERIOD STATE THAT PEOPLE CANNOT INCLUDE DEROGATORY COMMENTS OR STATEMENTS ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL IN A STATEMENT, NEWTON POLICE CHIEF ROB BURTIS SAID PETERSON WAS ACTING IN A WAY THAT WAS DEEMED TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THE STATED RULES FOR CITIZENS. THE POLICE CHIEF SAID PETERSON REFUSED DIRECTIVES BY LAW ENFORCEMENT TO LEAVE THE PODIUM. WHEN WE TALKED TO PETERSON THURSDAY, HE SAID HE WOULD NOT WILLINGLY SILENCE HIMSELF. WHAT’S A PERSON FOR IF NOT CRITICIZING THE GOVERNMENT? AND I THINK GOVERNMENT CAN HANDLE 3 MINUTES OF CRITICISM. HE SAYS HE PLANS TO BE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AND FILE A LAWSUIT OVER FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS IN NEWTON. ANDREW MULLET BACK KCCI

Man arrested while speaking at Newton city council

Noah Petersen had just started his public comments criticizing police, when the mayor put a stop to it. He was eventually handcuffed at the podium.

A man from Newton was arrested while he was speaking at a city council meeting Monday, bringing into focus the balancing act between local council rules and First Amendment rights. Noah Petersen, who describes himself as an activist, tried to use his allocated three minutes to criticize police department actions."Defund Newton Police Department," he began. "They are a violent civil and human rights-violating organization."He went on to make accusations involving an unnamed employee at the department, when Mayor Michael Hansen banged the gavel."You are out of order, sir!" Hansen said. "Step down!"Petersen kept speaking, while Hansen ordered him to be escorted out of the chambers. Petersen was put in handcuffs while still at the podium. "I'm not going to willingly silence myself and give up my three-minute period without being arrested," Petersen said during an interview Thursday. A statement from police Chief Rob Burdess said, in part: "Petersen approached the podium and began speaking in a manner that was deemed to be in violation of the stated rules for citizen participation. Petersen was directed by the mayor to sit down or leave the meeting. Petersen became disruptive and refused several directives by law enforcement to leave the podium as directed. He was subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct and transported to the Jasper County Jail." Petersen said he plans to return to the next council meeting, and he also plans to sue the city. "What's the First Amendment for if not criticizing the government?" he said. "I think government can handle three minutes of criticism."

NEWTON, Iowa —

A man from Newton was arrested while he was speaking at a city council meeting Monday, bringing into focus the balancing act between local council rules and First Amendment rights.

Noah Petersen, who describes himself as an activist, tried to use his allocated three minutes to criticize police department actions.

"Defund Newton Police Department," he began. "They are a violent civil and human rights-violating organization."

He went on to make accusations involving an unnamed employee at the department, when Mayor Michael Hansen banged the gavel.

"You are out of order, sir!" Hansen said. "Step down!"

Petersen kept speaking, while Hansen ordered him to be escorted out of the chambers. Petersen was put in handcuffs while still at the podium.

"I'm not going to willingly silence myself and give up my three-minute period without being arrested," Petersen said during an interview Thursday.

A statement from police Chief Rob Burdess said, in part:

"Petersen approached the podium and began speaking in a manner that was deemed to be in violation of the stated rules for citizen participation. Petersen was directed by the mayor to sit down or leave the meeting. Petersen became disruptive and refused several directives by law enforcement to leave the podium as directed. He was subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct and transported to the Jasper County Jail."

Petersen said he plans to return to the next council meeting, and he also plans to sue the city.

"What's the First Amendment for if not criticizing the government?" he said. "I think government can handle three minutes of criticism."

Man arrested while speaking at Newton city council

Noah Petersen had just started his public comments criticizing police, when the mayor put a stop to it. He was eventually handcuffed at the podium.

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