Rebekah Massie, a resident of Surprise, Arizona, took her 10-year-old daughter to a city council meeting on August 20. She had two goals: Criticize a city attorney’s pay raise and show her daughter that it’s important for people to speak up.
But the mayor shut her down seconds after she questioned the pay raise. He cited an outrageous city rule banning “complaints” about city officials during city council meetings.
That’s unconstitutional. And to make it worse, the mayor had police remove Rebekah from the meeting. She was arrested in front of her daughter and taken to a detention center.
We condemn the actions taken against Rebekah and urge the city council to rescind the city's policy that led to her removal from the meeting. We urge all citizens to rally together to defend free speech to ensure that no one else is ever silenced, arrested, or intimidated for daring to speak out.
This incident is a stark reminder of the importance of free speech in our democracy. When a citizen is censored for criticizing government officials, it threatens us all.
We stand with Rebekah Massie and anyone who dares to speak out. By standing together, we can ensure our rights are protected and our voices are heard.
Stand with Rebekah. Stand for free speech. Tell the Surprise City Council to rescind its unconstitutional rule. Together, let’s ensure our voices are heard and our rights are upheld.