Cleveland City Council is considering tightening its rules for public comment after weeks of tension in council chambers.
The rules would restrict speech to only matters related to city council business.
“It has always been the council's intent to make sure that public comment and everyone’s freedom of speech is allowed, however, we have seen that there is a need for several reasons to really make sure we revisit our rules,” Council President Blaine Griffin said during a caucus meeting in City Hall Monday when the draft legislation was introduced for discussion.
The move comes after weeks of unrest in council chambers, as members of the public have shown up to speak on the Israel-Hamas war.
Griffin said unrest at council reached a fever pitch two weeks ago when a chant broke out charging Mayor Justin Bibb with “genocide” after a social media post he made in support of Israel. The leader of the chant was removed from chambers by Cleveland police. Griffin said other council and decorum rules were violated that night, such as when attendees held up signs with names of Palestinian children they said Israeli military forces killed during the war.
The changes, however, he said are months in the making. Last month, Griffin cut several commenters' microphones for hate speech and what he deemed as personal attacks on members of council.
Griffin said council worked with the city's law department to make sure the changes follow the law. Regardless, the issue sparked debate among council members during the caucus meeting Monday.
Councilmember Rebecca Maurer spoke vehemently against the changes, calling them “completely outrageous” and saying “it looks like council running scared from its residents.” She said safety and decorum concerns, like the chanting, are separate from public comment and urged her colleagues not to conflate the issues.
“I think it’s honestly disrespectful to have this conversation after weeks of booked-out public comment,” she said. “It feels a little like we’re trying to ground our residents for saying something we didn’t like.”
Griffin said Maurer was “entitled to her opinion,” but called it “asinine” and "disingenuous" to "call out" her colleagues. Several council members agreed and attacked her dissent in their comments.
“To even suggest members of council are running scared, I take offense to that,” said Ward 10 Councilmember Anthony Hairston. “Maybe you’re running scared. That’s on you.”
Some council members suggested tweaks to the draft legislation, including prioritizing Cleveland residents over those who live outside the city.
The council eventually declined to pursue that option because some people outside the city have a vested interest in Cleveland matters, whether it's conducting business or water bills, which affect some residents in surrounding suburbs, said Council Attorney Rachel Scalish.
Others suggested tightened security measures.
The rules will not be proposed as legislation. Council must still vote on the new procedures. Griffin said he hopes to pass the new rules by the end of the year.
Cleveland City Council meetings began public comment periods in 2021. By law, city councils are not required to hold a public comment period, but if they do, they must adhere to First Amendment rights.
