Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A video has emerged showing a man being wrestled out of a south west council meeting for apparently asking local councillors a question.
BBC Cornwall shared a video of the man, who gave his name to the BBC as Charlie Farley, being man-handled out of Penzance Town Hall, where the town’s town council is based.
It is claimed that the man arrived at the meeting late and missed a warning by the Mayor that questions should not be asked unless they had been submitted in advance of the meeting.
“Mr Councillor, could you interrupt please! I only asked a question, was I allowed to speak?!” the man can be heard to say as security guards pull him out of his chair.
“Do you call this democracy? Do you really call this democracy? I only asked a bloody question.”
An amplified woman’s voice coming from off-camera can be heard at the end of the video: “If every individual here asked a question we’d never be out of here today.”
The Cornishman local newspaper reports that former mayor Councillor Dennis Axford proposed a motion of no confidence in the town’s Mayor, David Nebesnuick, to run the meeting
Local resident Lyndsey Williams commented: “What’s the point in this [meeting] if the public can’t ask questions at the time – surely that’s the point of a public meeting?”
Penzance Town Council's acting town clerk Paul Birch told the Independent: “The video doesn’t give the whole picture and I know that the mayor has made arrangements to apologise to the gentlemen in question.”
He added that the incident was regrettable and that it had ruined what should have been a positive meeting.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments