JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The events at Jacksonville City Council meeting Tuesday night were quite surprising to me.
There was a full crowd at the meeting and they were a very lively bunch. I knew when they got to the school board tax issue they would be responding, despite repeated efforts by the council president to try to hold back reactions.
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When some booed, one council member, Scott Wilson, immediately took action and cleared the chambers. That surprised me, because he didn't first go after those who were responsible.
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This has happened before at council meetings, but the media was always allowed to stay. I was told we had to go. I didn't believe that was right, since City Council was in full session and there were two council members meeting, plus the fact that they were going to vote on an issue.
I told council President they would have to arrest me in order to leave chambers. I was allowed to stay @wjxt4 pic.twitter.com/8gS11CVEIY
— Jim Piggott (@wjxtjimpiggott) August 27, 2019
I believe we have the right to be there and to witness it firsthand. As they were clearing the crowd, I asked a few people their reactions including Sen. Audrey Gibson.
She was shocked and surprised she was being forced to leave. I then saw the council president and other members behind the door in the green room next to the council chambers.
I tried speaking with them and kept asking why they were throwing out the media. The sergeant at arms said everyone had to go, including the media. He also said I was holding up the process by interviewing people.
I told him I was not going to leave. I felt I had a right to be there and said they would have to arrest me.
At that point, Wilson walked out and said I could stay as long as I was just reporting on the events. I sat down and eventually, the meeting began again for a discussion about the sales tax.
Eventually, other members of the media were allowed back in and the council took the vote with a few school board members and some staff from the mayor's office on hand.
I was ready to go to jail if that would've been the case because I believe we have a right to be there and to witness what was going on, not just watching it on a monitor from another room.