BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON - In a dramatic turn of events, the Bellingham City Council meeting on October 7 ended in chaos after a series of contentious public testimonies led to a heated altercation and the removal of a speaker from the chambers.
The meeting, which was attended by Mayor Kim Lund, Police Chief Rebecca Mertzig, and the entire city council, started as usual but quickly changed when Daniel Myrick, a local resident experiencing homelessness, delivered a testimony criticizing the city’s response to homelessness and accusing the Bellingham Police Department of bias and misconduct.
Myrick, a regular at recent city council meetings, leveled serious accusations, directly naming various city officials. He alleged mistreatment by the police and criticized the city's inability to protect homeless individuals from violence. At one point, Myrick recounted an incident in which a homeowner allegedly assaulted him, claiming that law enforcement failed to press charges. His testimony grew heated as he confronted council members by name, posing hypothetical scenarios where they were the victims of such assaults. The exchange escalated until the council cut him off and ordered his removal from the meeting.
“I'm not going to allow this kind of testimony,” A councilman said, as Myrick continued his speech. Myrick was escorted out of the chambers, prompting a brief disruption.
This incident followed another just two weeks earlier, when Myrick had appeared before the council on September 30 to discuss issues related to food insecurity and social inequality. He delivered another speech, citing personal experiences of violence while living on the streets and condemning the city's leadership for its lack of action.
Despite Myrick’s removal from the chambers, his influence continued outside, where he was captured on video delivering another lengthy monologue. The footage, shared by a witness named David, shows Myrick condemning the city's approach to addressing homelessness and accusing the public of indifference to the plight of those living on the streets. In a particularly striking moment, Myrick challenged the communities support for international causes like Ukraine while, in his view, neglecting the needs of local homeless individuals.
"You can't care about Afghanistan or Ukraine when there are people at arm’s reach from you without their human rights,” Myrick said in the video. “You all refuse to acknowledge my humanity. That’s why I don’t have my human rights.”
The city council has announced a special meeting scheduled for October 14 at 10:00 a.m., during which it is expected that public testimony and the city's response to homelessness will again be on the agenda. Council officials have not confirmed whether Myrick will be allowed to attend or speak.
The escalating tension at these meetings highlights a growing divide in Bellingham over how the city handles the challenges of homelessness. While city leaders have emphasized their commitment to addressing the issue, advocates like Myrick argue that not enough is being done to protect and support vulnerable individuals.
For now, the city faces increasing pressure from activists and community members to find solutions, while also balancing the need for civil discourse and public safety at council meetings.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Local News
