Mayor Aaron Brockett on Thursday, Jan. 16 requested that councilmembers hold an executive session in the coming weeks to discuss how to manage council meetings in light of recent protests over the Israel-Hamas war.
The request follows repeated disruptions over the past year by protestors urging the council to adopt a resolution calling for a ceasefire. The council has not adopted such a resolution.
In response to protests, the council has taken incremental steps to reduce disruptions while seeking to balance maintaining order and protecting free speech. In May, councilmembers approved rules banning large flags and posters, citing concerns that they obstructed views. They also moved responses to public comments to the end of meetings to avoid prolonged debates at the start. Most recently, the council decided to hold meetings virtually until February.
Separately, the council adopted a resolution condemning antisemitism, noting that reports of anti-Jewish incidents reached a record high in 2024. “The City Council supports Boulder’s Jewish community and affirms its ongoing commitment to diligently counter anti-Jewish sentiments and hate in all its forms, and to cultivate an inclusive city that celebrates both the individuality and commonality of its people,” the resolution states.