‘Never have I been met with such excessive force,’ says woman arrested while protesting data centers in Utah County
Aspen Azalea was arrested and allegedly thrown to the ground by a Utah County sheriff’s deputy after protesting a Planning Commission vote on data center regulations. Activists rallied at the Utah Capitol, criticizing the use of force and opposing data center development and its environmental impacts.
Aspen Azalea was arrested outside a Utah County Planning Commission meeting in Provo after protesting the commission’s approval of an ordinance regulating data centers in unincorporated areas of the county. Video of a deputy taking Azalea to the ground and handcuffing her went viral. The Utah County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were removing protesters after the vote and alleged that Azalea made contact with a deputy; Azalea denied the allegation and said she suffered a concussion and bruising.
The following day, about 75 people gathered at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City to support Azalea and protest data center development, environmental harm and alleged police violence. Speakers, including State Sen. Nate Blouin, said the incident highlighted tensions over data center decisions being made in Utah. Azalea faces three misdemeanor charges and said she was seeking legal assistance.