Kansas physics teacher clapped in cuffs at AI data center hearing 🫡

A Kansas high school physics teacher was arrested and removed from a city commission meeting Tuesday after applauding opponents of a proposed 1,000-acre AI data center, according to local broadcaster KWCH. Lux Claridge, a physics teacher at Emporia High School, was handcuffed and escorted from the chamber after clapping several times in support of a speaker criticizing the Flint Hills Digital Campus, the report said. The Emporia city commission had warned attendees before the meeting that clapping, snapping, and other demonstrations would be treated as disruptions.

Claridge told KWCH after posting bail that the experience would not change his approach to civic engagement. "I'm glad to be out—but this is an inconvenience, really," Claridge said. "It's not really deterring me from speaking out or, I guess, clapping." The Emporia Police Department said it remains committed to ensuring public meetings are conducted safely while respecting residents' rights to participate in the civic process.

The commission ultimately approved the zoning changes needed for the project. Claridge plans to plead not guilty when he appears in court in September, and his brother David Claridge said the family intends to challenge the charges and pursue recall efforts against local officials. "This isn't going to hold up in court. Lux is going to fight them on that," David Claridge told KWCH. "I'm looking at avenues to get these people recalled. This is insane to me."

The arrest comes as opposition to AI data centers has intensified nationwide. In January, a Brookings report warned local concerns over electricity demand, water use, and noise were affecting proposed developments. In April 2026, Maine lawmakers approved legislation that would have temporarily paused construction of large AI data centers while policymakers studied their impact on local communities. Earlier this month, Reuters reported opponents held 142 protests across 42 states in what was described as the first coordinated nationwide demonstrations against the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure, with events in Texas, Georgia, California, Pennsylvania, Florida, Indiana, and dozens of other states.

Organizers called for greater transparency in the approval process, stronger protections for water and energy resources, community benefits, and accountability for developers, while backers argue the facilities are needed to support artificial intelligence services. A June Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only 14% of Americans would support an AI data center being built in their community.