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Speaker says candidate forum question targeted a candidate by identity and was amplified online
Summary
Megan Emery said a man at a July candidates forum at municipal offices targeted a candidate onstage because of her identity, pursued her afterward, and that the episode was amplified on YouTube and local platforms.
Emery recounted that during a Democratic candidates forum at municipal offices on Market Street, a man in the audience "stood up and targeted one of the candidates on stage, because of her identity," and that the man later pursued the candidate and circulated or encouraged further posts on platforms such as Front Porch Forum and Facebook.
She said the initial event was recorded by Town Meeting TV and uploaded to YouTube, which allowed the episode to be amplified beyond the auditorium. Emery said those amplifications can spread hateful messages and urged local leaders and media to be mindful of how recordings and platform sharing can magnify harm.
