The Memphis City Council meeting on Tuesday erupted into disorder after a decision concerning data center restrictions was delayed. The council voted to postpone action on a moratorium or any further restrictions on data centers, igniting a tumultuous response from the audience.
According to The Commercial Appeal, audience members expressed their displeasure by booing and standing up. Following this uproar, several council members exited the chamber, which effectively ended the meeting.
In addition, WREG reported that an altercation took place in the City Hall lobby. Although the exact cause of the fight remains unclear, video footage shows punches being thrown and someone yelling “sellout.”
Annie Goldman, a reporter for The Commercial Appeal, shared the scene on X, noting, “This is the scene after they voted to push the data center moratorium down the line. Council members being ushered out, heavy police presence, and advocates are not happy.”
The debate on data center restrictions follows the construction of two hyperscale data centers by SpaceXAI, a company owned by Elon Musk, in the neighborhoods of Boxtown and Whitehaven in Memphis.
Leading up to the meeting, the activist group Indivisible Memphis posted on Instagram, stating, “Memphis belongs to Memphis—not Elon Musk.”
This story is developing, and further updates are expected.