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Middletown meeting repeatedly interrupted by calls for Gaza ceasefire; council changes meeting rules
Summary
Dozens of public commentators urged the Middletown Common Council to adopt a ceasefire resolution for Gaza; city leaders called the demonstrations disruptive and the council voted to change its order of business to restrict public comment to agenda items.
Scores of people addressed the Middletown Common Council on Tuesday night urging the city to adopt a ceasefire resolution over the Israel–Gaza conflict, prompting repeated interruptions and heated exchanges between speakers and members of the public.
The most sustained public-comment bloc identified itself repeatedly as organized and said it would return until the council acted. Speakers included local residents and visitors who said they had personal ties to Gaza and Israel and who called on the council to issue a statement or resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Why it matters: The repeated public comments disrupted routine city business and provoked a strong response from elected officials who said the meetings were being hijacked. Council members said they were obligated to prioritize local agenda items and constituent services and that repeated off‑topic demonstrations prevented the body from completing city business.
During public comment, speakers described civilian casualties and humanitarian needs in Gaza and urged the council to use its platform to call for halt to hostilities. One speaker said the group planned to continue returning to council meetings until a resolution was passed. Another group of speakers, including a Jewish Middletown resident, urged the council and the public to recognize the October 7 attacks and the taking of hostages and to hold Hamas accountable for atrocities.
Council reaction: Council members and the mayor repeatedly complained that many people who spoke were not Middletown residents, and several members accused organizers of coordinated tactics to secure television time and disrupt meetings. President Rodriguez and other aldermen described the gatherings as orchestrated and said they had received thousands of constituent messages opposing the outside demonstrations.
Rule change: After the public‑comment period, the council voted unanimously to amend the city code to limit the “good of the city” public-comment segment to agenda items only and to add a separate “opportunity” section for non‑agenda public comment at the end of meetings. The motion passed on a roll call with Aldermen Tobin, Jean Francois, Johnson, Ray, Kleiner, Witt, Massey and President Rodriguez all voting “Aye.” Aldermen said the change is designed to let the council complete scheduled city business without prolonged off‑topic demonstrations.
Other council statements: Several aldermen urged organizers to take the issue to state or federal representatives. President Rodriguez and others said residents looking for policy change should contact members of Congress and state legislators, listing specific offices to which speakers could direct their appeals.
Context and next steps: Council members said they will enforce decorum at future meetings and indicated they may ask police to remove disruptive individuals if behavior continues. Organizers said they will continue outreach and keep returning to meetings. The council did not take any formal action on a ceasefire resolution on Tuesday.
