Questions arise after deputy removes protester from Utah County data center meeting
A protester was removed from a Utah County Planning Commission meeting after objecting to county ordinances related to data centers. The woman, Aspen Azalea, was arrested after an altercation with a sheriff's deputy, and authorities are reviewing the incident while she claims she suffered a concussion.
A protest at a Utah County Planning Commission meeting over county ordinances and data centers escalated when commissioners ordered Aspen Azalea removed. Video showed a sheriff's deputy and Azalea falling in the lobby during the removal. Azalea was arrested on charges including disrupting a meeting and assaulting a police officer, while two other people were cited.
The Utah County Sheriff's Office said Azalea resisted arrest and struck a deputy, although its statement provided limited detail about the fall. Emergency medical personnel found no immediate injuries at the scene, but a woman identifying herself as Azalea later said she suffered a concussion. The sheriff's office said supervisory personnel are reviewing the incident.