Photo: Surprise resident Rebekah Massie speaks at a city council meeting on Aug. 20, 2024. (
A Maricopa County Justice Court tossed the criminal trespassing charge from the city of Surprise after resident Rebekah Massie was thrown out of a city council meeting for allegedly violating it’s now repealed public comment policy in August.
Mayor Skip Hall had Massie removed after she criticized the decision to increase the city attorney Robert Wingo’s salary, as the two got into a debate about the constitutionality of the commenting policy and a police officer removed her.
“No branch of any federal, state, or local government in this country should ever attempt to control the content of political speech,” North Valley Justice of the Peace Gerald Williams wrote in his decision dismissing the charge.
“In this case, the government did so in a manner that was objectively outrageous,” he continued.
Massie and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression are suing the city in federal court over the viral incident, The Center Square reported. The city got rid of the legally scrutinized policy in September, which FIRE said came “too late” and the lawsuit still stands.
“You are violating my First Amendment rights,” Massie said during the meeting.
“That’s your opinion,” Hall said.
“It’s not a matter of opinion,” she responded.
Hall is leaving office in January and Kevin Sartor will be his successor. Sartor slammed the Hall’s actions shortly after it occured.
“For more than two months I’ve been living with the threat of punishment and jail time — being taken away from my kids, even — for doing nothing more than criticizing the government,” Massie said in a news release on Thursday. “Free speech still matters in America, and I can’t tell you what a relief it is to have people on my side standing up for our rights with me.”
3 thoughts on “Charge on Surprise activist who criticized city in council meeting laughed out of court – The Center Square”
Interesting. In Prescott Valley we have a different problem. Mayor Palguta has cut the mike on passionate citizens and shortened their 3 minute time for public comments. Sometimes it makes you cringe what people say and mentioning the mayor or a council member or asking for comments back are not “allowed” per the mayor’s announcement prior to public comment.
This woman was exercising her right as long as she was not threatening of swearing as I understand it. And all mayors and councils should multiply citizens complaints as few people have the courage to attend a council meeting and speak. These people are offering a warning to the city-town that many people are upset about the direction being taken by their elected officials. The days are over for ignoring “We the People”.
I agree with Tom. Our country was built on the premise that citizens control their government, not the other way around. It is our right to criticize our governments as supposedly guaranteed by the Constitution. If that right
is erased, our country becomes a dictatorship instead of a democracy under a Republic form of government.
Mayor Palguta should be ousted from office for ignoring
rights under the First Amendment.
Under the First Amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or ABRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, or of the Press, or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Ratified December 15, 1791.
As an addendum: Rebekah Massie is also owed an apology that includes an invitation to reappear at another meeting so she can resume her thoughts, but this time without threat of being ordered to remove herself from the meeting. The previous order was
unconstitutional as per Amendment 1 of the Constitution. Or…..do local officials ever review the Constitution and the rights it is supposed to confer?
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