The Memphis City Council meeting on Tuesday faced a significant disruption following a vote to delay decisions on proposed data center restrictions. The decision to postpone a moratorium or additional restrictions on data centers ignited unrest among attendees, as reported by The Commercial Appeal.
Audience members expressed their dissatisfaction by booing and rising from their seats after the council’s decision. Some council members left the chamber, effectively ending the meeting prematurely. This account was corroborated by the publication.
Further tension unfolded in the City Hall lobby, where an unclear altercation broke out. According to WREG, footage shared online showed individuals engaging in a physical dispute, with one participant yelling the word ‘sellout.’
Annie Goldman, a reporter for The Commercial Appeal, documented the chaotic aftermath on X, noting the evacuation of council members amid a heavy police presence. She highlighted the dissatisfaction among advocates regarding the postponement of the data center moratorium.
The controversy surrounds discussions of data center regulations in light of SpaceXAI’s construction of two hyperscale data centers in the Boxtown and Whitehaven areas of Memphis, spearheaded by Elon Musk.
Prior to the meeting, the activist organization Indivisible Memphis voiced opposition through an Instagram post, stating, ‘Memphis belongs to Memphis — not Elon Musk.’
This situation is evolving, with further updates expected as events unfold.
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