CLEVELAND — It was another chaotic meeting for Cleveland City Council Monday night, with Pro-Palestine protestors being extremely vocal with outbursts and loud chants as business was being conducted. Amid the distractions, Council passed new rules for public comment and attendee behavior that could change the future of meetings.
Since last fall, demonstrators have asked councilmembers to pass a ceasefire resolution amid the Israel-Hamas war.
Council President Blaine Griffin told 3News Tuesday that he's in serious talks with Cleveland Director of Public Safety Karrie Howard and Police Chief Wayne Drummond about making meetings more stable.
Griffin told us he talked with them right after the hectic meeting and they talked again Tuesday.
"We're looking at what we need to revamp, but the one tool that they have given me is that now I can order the safety director and the police chief to clear the chambers," he said. "We want to be careful with our officers because we know that the slightest confrontation is going to end up in someone saying that they were mistreated, mishandled, or abused. So quite frankly, in this day, culture, and time, I want to be careful not to put our officers in a tough position."
Griffin expressed that he was "disappointed" with the behavior of the demonstrators.
"I understand that a lot of the protesters, that that's the point, that they want to disrupt, that they want to be heard, but I also believe that it is now bordering on bullying, bordering on interfering with official city business, and also bordering on people not feeling safe, whether it's real or perceived, and that is a problem,” he said.
We asked Griffin why Council is declining to introduce a ceasefire resolution like the protesters are asking for.
"Most of the members of the body don’t understand the nuances of this conflict," he said. "This conflict can potentially escalate. The United States can potentially get involved with what's happening with the Houthis and what's happening with Iran and Syria. So this thing can go in a lot of different ways, and we don't feel that that we should issue something on record that might potentially put us at odds with our own government.”
He then explained his hopes that new Council rules passed Monday will help stabilize the meetings.
The rules state that all public commenters must pre-register to speak, only address the topic they registered about, and cannot use language that is obscene or likely to produce imminent unlawful action. Speakers shall only address their comments to the presiding officer over the meeting.
Signs, posters, and banners are also banned in the Council chamber.
The presiding officer also now has the right to ask law enforcement to escort disorderly people out, as long as they first issues a verbal warning and is viewpoint neutral in their enforcing of the rule.
Griffin said he's ready to enforce the new authority, but wants to be careful.
"I am always going to be hesitant, and I'm always going to try to be judicious, because I support anybody that has the right to petition their government," he said. "That's democracy. But I also have a responsibility to the staff, employees, my colleagues, and to the citizens of the city of Cleveland to run an orderly meeting to handle the city's business and to make sure that everybody feels like they can come into a safe environment and have their voices heard."
He further expressed his sympathies.
"Quite frankly, I don't want to make things worse," he shared. "I don't want to create more division. I really think that this is just a matter of a bunch of people who are very, very frustrated about the state of affairs in the Middle East, and I don't feel that I should be retaliating against anybody for that. They have a right to be frustrated. They have a right to be upset.”
During Monday's meeting, the demonstrators said it was the 10th time they have asked Council to pass a ceasefire resolution, and they've gathered over 1,500 signatures pushing for it.
"We're frustrated because we're not heard," said Jenna Muhieddie. "We're frustrated because we don't feel seen. We're frustrated because our struggle is being invalidated time and time again."
We asked Griffin if he believes the new rules that have been passed will be effective.
"Quite frankly, I just think there's going to be some people that it doesn't matter because they feel so passionate about their issue that they can care less about many of the rules, but what I will tell you is we're going to start enforcing the rules," he said. "If people are disruptive and people are disrespectful and if people won't allow us to run a business city meeting the way that it's supposed to be run, then I will consider removing and adjourning the meeting."
