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Residents urge Chesapeake to endorse ICAN 'Cities Appeal'; mayor asks staff to research appropriateness
Summary
Advocates from the Hampton Roads Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons and allied groups asked the council to adopt ICAN's Cities Appeal calling for the U.S. to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; the mayor asked staff to research the appropriateness of a municipal position.
Multiple speakers representing local peace and disarmament groups urged the Chesapeake City Council to adopt ICAN’s (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) Cities Appeal, which advocates for national accession to the United Nations’ Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
"Our city is deeply concerned about the grave threat that nuclear weapons pose to communities throughout the world," said Steve Baggerly of the Hampton Roads Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, reading the text of the Cities Appeal and urging Chesapeake to pass the resolution. Kate Durham and Dennis Hansen provided humanitarian and technical testimony, respectively; Durham read an excerpt describing survivor testimony from Hiroshima and Hansen cited global stockpile figures and risk projections.
Jimmy Culpepper called Chesapeake’s history of engagement with Mayors for Peace and listed U.S. and international cities that have previously adopted similar appeals, saying local passage would be "a powerful statement of humanity's commitment." Speakers provided printed materials and ICAN resolution text to council.
Mayor West responded that the council does not routinely take positions on matters beyond municipal authority but agreed to ask staff to research whether it would be appropriate for the council to take a formal position and to report back. No formal resolution or vote on the Cities Appeal was recorded during the meeting.
The public comments were delivered during the citizen-comment period; the council did not make a motion to place the ICAN Cities Appeal on the agenda at this session.
