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Resident says she felt intimidated at prior Chester County meeting, alleges bystander shouted 'fascist' and was not removed
Summary
During the Oct. 8 public-comment period, Carol Campenny of West Chester Borough recounted attending a Sept. 24 meeting where she alleges a man repeatedly shouted 'fascist' at a speaker and that deputies and commissioners did not remove him; she said the incident left attendees fearful of speaking at public meetings.
A West Chester Borough resident told the Chester County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 8 she felt intimidated at a Sept. 24 public meeting and said an attendee shouted "fascist" repeatedly at a speaker without being removed.
Carol Campenny said she attended the Sept. 24 meeting where the board considered creating a Chester County human relations commission and where the room was standing room only. Campenny said a woman at the microphone called for "unity, not division" when a man in the back of the room yelled "fascist" three times, directed at the speaker. She told the board the deputy present did not remove the man and that none of the commissioners intervened.
Campenny said the conduct made citizens feel unsafe about speaking at future public meetings and described the situation as "unacceptable" and "deplorable." She also referenced high-profile violent incidents nationally while explaining her concern about the shouted epithet and the absence of a removal.
No commissioner response to Campenny's allegation is recorded in the transcript beyond the standard offer of subsequent public-comment speakers and a note that no one else requested to speak at that time.
The complaint was presented as a public comment; no formal board action or directive was recorded in response during the Oct. 8 meeting.
