Mob Violence at Tampa Town Hall

“Tell the truth! Tell the truth!”
       “Read the bill!”
          “Forty-million illegals! Forty million illegals!”

(St. Petersburg Times) – The spectacle at the Children’s Board in Ybor City sounded more like a wrestling cage match than a panel discussion on national policy, and it was just the latest example of a health care meeting disrupted by livid protesters. Similar scenes are likely to be repeated across the country as lawmakers head to their home districts for the summer recess.

Thursday’s forum/near riot was sponsored by state Rep. Betty Reed, D-Tampa, and the Service Employees International Union, who apparently had hoped to hold something of a pep rally for President Barack Obama’s health care reform proposal.

Instead, hundreds of vocal critics turned out, many of them saying they had been spurred on through the Tampa 912 activist group promoted by conservative radio and television personality Glenn Beck. Others had received e-mails from the Hillsborough Republican Party that urged people to speak out against the plan and offered talking points.

YouTube videos filmed from the hall with disruptors.

(TampaBay.com) – Pity the many Tampa Bay TV, radio and print radio reporters who showed up to cover a nuanced discussion of health care reform options at a town hall meeting headlined by state Rep. Betty Reed and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor. Instead they had to make do with covering total mayhem, as hundreds of protesters turned the event into a near riot.

Video of news report

(The Tamba Tribune) – Castor tried to speak for nearly 15 minutes but the crowd drowned her out, chanting, “You work for us,” “Tyranny, tyranny,” and “Read the bill.”

After trying to speak, Castor left at about 6:40 p.m., taking jeers as she left.

“They’re hiding from their constituents. She works for us and needs to listen,” said Karen Jaroch, a Tampa homemaker and organizer for the 9-12 Project, set up by TV commentator Glenn Beck, which had recruited its members to attend.

In a news conference prior to the town hall, Castor had said, “I do expect some rabble-rousing.” She said the protesters who have been appearing at town hall forums on health care “would have been protesting Medicare … they would never have accepted Social Security.”

Reed said she was shocked by the number of people who turned out and some of their reactions. “When you get to the point of possible violence, you’ve gone over the edge,” she said.