Surprise mayor-elect speaks out against woman's arrest at council meeting

(The Center Square) – The mayor-elect of Surprise, Arizona, is speaking out after a woman was arrested during a city council meeting on Aug. 20.

Mayor-elect Kevin Sartor, who is taking office in January, said in a news release that "what happened to Rebekah Massie is unacceptable."

"We will never arrest or silence our residents for expressing their views or questioning their elected officials. This is not just about Rebekah Massie; it's about every resident of Surprise. Your voice matters, and it will always be heard.”

"While there must be reasonable limits on speech in public forums—such as prohibiting violence, threats, or profanity—this recent incident did not come close to crossing those lines," he later added.

Mayor Skip Hall had Massie escorted out of a council meeting by police, who charged her with trespassing after arguing about the removal, for her decision to criticize the vote to raise City Attorney Robert Wingo's pay. Hall said meeting guidelines prevented her from making some of her remarks about Wingo, and they debated about the constitutionality of it.

The Center Square reported on Monday that the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression will be suing on behalf of Massie on First Amendment grounds.

“As an American, it’s my right to speak out to keep the local government accountable," Massie said in a statement on Tuesday.

"And as a mom, it’s my obligation to set a good example and stand up for our fundamental rights — like the right of free speech — when they’re threatened. That’s the lesson I wanted to show my daughter. And now, it’s the lesson I am determined to show the City of Surprise, Arizona."

Massie added she will be represented by Bret Royle, a Phoenix-based criminal defense attorney, for the trespassing charge she's facing.

FIRE attorney Conor Fitzpatrick said the organization "looks forward to vindicating Rebekah’s constitutional rights in court.”

“The First Amendment protects every American’s right to criticize public officials. And the last thing people should fear when they go to a city council meeting to make their voice heard is leaving in handcuffs," he stated.

It's unclear if the city will opt to settle the case or fight it in court, and if that course of action will change with a different mayor and new city councilmembers next year.