Residents cited after physical altercation over data center discussion in Utah County meeting

SALT LAKE CITY — A tense meeting in Utah County over a change in data center plan policy ended in an altercation between protesters and law enforcement.

Video obtained by KSL shows a woman sitting in a Utah County Planning Commission meeting Tuesday, speaking with deputies who were asking her to leave. After some back-and-forth, four of the deputies can be seen in the video approaching her to remove her from the meeting and the subsequent incident is then caught on camera.

The signs shown in the protest implied the group was there in opposition to a just-passed ordinance, which created a process for approving or denying new data centers on unincorporated land.

KSL contacted the group behind the protest and spoke with the woman at the center of the video, who identified herself as Aspen Azalea.

Azalea, 27, told KSL she suffered a concussion during the incident.

"(The deputy) pushed some momentum into me and then threw me to the ground," Azalea said. "And at that point, he also had control over my hands, so my hands were by my side. So the sound you hear in the video, that's my chin and my jaw hitting the ground."

According to a press release from the Utah County Sheriff's Office, Azalea struck the officer when he initially attempted to remove her from the meeting.

"The deputy was struck in the groin by the female, and two other persons did grab ahold of the female to prevent her from being removed," the release states. "The group of three were removed from the chambers and taken to the lobby where Utah County Sheriff's Office deputies began to separate the parties. In that process, the female, who struck the deputy, and the deputy went to the ground."

Azalea was booked on investigation of assault on a peace officer, disrupting a meeting and interfering with a police officer, according to a police booking affidavit.

"Despite being asked and ordered several times by law enforcement officers to remove herself from the meeting she did not. I grabbed ahold of her arm and stood her up to remove her from the area, as I was pulling her out of the row of chairs, it felt like she attempted to go limp and dump her body weight on me. When I pulled her out of the row of chairs and into the aisle I felt a sharp pain in my groin," the affidavit said.

Azalea disagreed with that account.

"The escalation of this was so insane," she said. "They grabbed me very intensely, shoved me up and threw me against the wall. And at that point, my two friends come by and they linked my arms. They were worried about my safety at that point and getting dragged out."

Deputies in the affidavit said two people latched onto Azalea and also had to be physically removed from the commission chambers.

"The individuals were told to stop resisting and separate from each other; they did not and had to be physically separated from one another," the affidavit states.

The two other people involved were released and given citations, according to the sheriff's office.

Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith released a statement Wednesday, saying his office is committed to upholding constitutional rights while also maintaining public order.

"The First Amendment is a cornerstone of our republic, and we recognize and respect the public's right to speak freely, express disagreement with government decisions, and peacefully advocate for their positions — even when those opinions are unpopular or strongly opposed by others. The events at last night's Planning Commission meeting serve as an important reminder that protecting the right to speak does not mean abandoning the responsibility to maintain order," his statement said.

He further stated citizens have every right to oppose proposed data center developments, voice concerns and hold officials accountable, but public meetings must also be conducted in a manner that allows the commission to carry out its responsibilities. The First Amendment does not give people "an unlimited right to disrupt a public meeting" or "disregard lawful and reasonable rules of decorum."

"When individuals refuse to comply with directions intended to restore order, those responsible for maintaining the meeting have a duty to take appropriate action consistent with the law," Smith said.

Violence against law enforcement officers is unacceptable, Smith said, and the situation is being addressed through the appropriate legal process.

"Let me be clear: our deputies are not there to take sides in a debate over data centers, zoning decisions or any other public policy issue. Their responsibility is to uphold the law, protect the public, safeguard constitutional rights and maintain peace and order. That responsibility applies regardless of a person's viewpoint or position on a controversial issue."

Sheriff deputies will not ignore conduct that threatens public safety, puts others at risk or interferes with public meetings, he said.

"We can disagree passionately and still act responsibly. We can demand accountability while respecting the rule of law. And we can defend our constitutional freedoms without resorting to threats, violence or the disruption of public proceedings. That is the standard our office will continue to uphold—for every citizen, every viewpoint, and every community we serve," Smith said.

Contributing: Paige Zamora, Cassidy Wixom, Mike Anderson

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