CLEVELAND, Ohio — New protocols were announced at Cleveland City Council's meeting Monday night regarding disruptions.
"Speaking out of turn and making loud utterances are in violation of the rules of this Council," City Council President Blaine Griffin said.
Griffin outlined the six-step protocol, and said when the meeting is disrupted, there will be an official warning. If it continues, the meeting will go into recess, the public safety director will clear Council chambers, and when the meeting reconvenes, the public won't be allowed back in.
"I don't think that they have any malice to try to harm anybody," Griffin told 3News of the pro-Palestinian protestors who have been a fixture at meetings since last fall. "However we have a right to run a meeting that has decorum and order. We needed to make sure we had clear and understandable rules to put in place so that people understood what actions would be taken if any disruptions take place."
This announcement comes after last week's meeting was cut short due to continued chanting in Council chambers.
"To try and stifle and limit participation in Cleveland City Council meetings," Chance Emad, from Cleveland Heights, said. "I think that that is what these rule changes are designed to do."
Emad says he has lost more than 30 family members during Israel's bombing of Gaza. On Friday, he was one of roughly 100 demonstrators who took to the streets of downtown Cleveland and called for a ceasefire resolution.
That call continued Monday night during both public comment and short outbursts throughout the rest of the gathering.
"There is nothing complicated about saying, 'Stop the bombing of hospitals, schools, refugee camps and return all of the hostages,'" one citizen told legislators.
And in a slight change from previous meetings, two councilwomen spoke out and shared their support.
"I'm sorry I've let so many weeks pass without using my voice to personally condemn the horrors of civilian killings in Israel and in Gaza," Ward 12 Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer said, "and [I] add my voice to those around the world calling for a ceasefire."
Councilwoman Jenny Spencer, of Ward 15, shared a similar message.
"My heart continues to break for the unimaginable number of lives lost and for those held hostage in Gaza," she stated.
Supporters of Palestine who attended the meeting say they are happy for those messages, but believe it's only a step.
"I do think it takes bravery," Emad said. "But why did it take 11 weeks? Why did it take 30,000 Palestinians being killed to make that statement?"
Still, the support led to applause and cheering from the crowd, and an official warning from Griffin: "Please consider yourself warned."
Before the meeting Griffin released the following statement in regards to a possible ceasefire resolution:
"After talking with many of my colleagues, Cleveland City Council does not feel we are in a position to issue a fair and unbiased ceasefire resolution. I, as Council President, am asking representatives from the communities closest to the conflict to convene and discuss how their communities can be acknowledged and seen. I've previously met with several leaders in both affected communities, and I’ve asked them to consider talking with each other about a mutually agreeable path forward in Cleveland.
"Their knowledge and experiences will help this Council and other elected officials in Greater Cleveland understand the hurt, pain, and devastation from the loss of innocent lives.
"I recognize we are representatives for our neighborhoods, the City, and Greater Cleveland, and I understand many look to us for advocacy, affirmation, and acceptance - in local, state, national, and international contexts.
"For the past three months, this body has heard from many northeast Ohioans about the conflict in the Middle East. Collectively, we condemn the loss of innocent lives, regardless of their nationality. The entire situation has again made the world examine their religious, political, cultural, and philosophical positions on this ancient conflict.
"Cleveland has one of the largest and most engaged Palestinian and Jewish communities in Ohio. We will not alienate people we call friends with a one-sided, quickly-worded resolution. This is a nuanced and complicated issue that has seen many failures and scant successes by numerous international diplomats, over many decades. To expect Cleveland City Council to get this ancient conflict “right” is unfair and misplaced.
"In the absence of this collaboration, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia will spread like a virus - here in Greater Cleveland and beyond. We aim to prevent that in Cleveland. I truly want to see a unified Cleveland."
According to Emad, the group that has attended the last 12 City Council meetings includes Jewish Clevelanders that have helped to write and propose language to represent both sides.
"I'm also disappointed because we want a resolution," Emad added. "We know that this will help protect Palestinians in Cleveland, and it helps further our values as Clevelanders to call for an end to violence — whether in Cleveland, whether in Palestine, anywhere."
Police Chief Wayne Drummond was at the meeting, as well, and told WKYC he wanted to see the disorder firsthand and be present in case anyone needed to be removed, which was not the case Monday night.
Last week, Council approved changes to public comment rules and procedures to prohibit yelling, clapping, and signs — all of which were seen during the meeting. When 3News asked Griffin why he did not enforce those new rules tonight he said, "We’ve been very, very patient because we believe they do have a right to protest. We understand that [these are] extreme circumstances because their loved ones and the people that they care about and their community is being harmed, so I totally understand why they may want to express themselves in that way. But little-by-little, we're going to do what we need to do to enforce our rules."