Questions About Use of Force at Marjorie Taylor Greene Town Hall Remain Unanswered

At a town hall in Acworth last week for Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Acworth police came under fire for the tasing of two attendees. The incident sparked concerns about the intersection of use of force and the first amendment rights to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

The Georgia Sun sent several questions to both the public information officer and the Acworth Police Chief about the incident and received no response despite several follow ups.

In the interest of transparency and open government, we have decided to publish the questions we asked them so that the taxpaying public can see what they declined to answer.

Here are the questions we asked:

• What specific behavior by each individual justified the use of a taser during their arrest?

• Did the individuals present any physical threat that made taser deployment necessary under department policy?
• Was any warning given before the taser was used, and if so, what was it?
• Does the Acworth Police Department consider the use of a taser appropriate for non-violent verbal outbursts or non-physical disruptions?
• Have the officers involved been placed under internal review following the incident?
• How does the Acworth PD distinguish between disruptive but lawful speech and behavior that warrants arrest at public events?
• Was there an internal policy or briefing specific to handling protest or dissent inside the town hall?
• How does the Acworth PD ensure officers are trained to respect First Amendment rights while maintaining order?

While we were not able to get these questions answered, we do have a statement the department released the night of the town hall, essentially stating that the police department supports elected officials from both parties. Below is their statement in its entirety.

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📜 The First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

What Does it Mean: The First Amendment protects five big freedoms that everyone in the United States has.

These are the five freedoms:

1. Freedom of Religion — You can believe in any religion you want, or not believe in any religion at all. The government can’t force you to believe something or punish you for your beliefs.
2. Freedom of Speech — You can say what you think and share your ideas, even if others don’t agree with you.
3. Freedom of the Press — Newspapers, TV, websites, and reporters can share news and opinions without the government telling them what to say.
4. Freedom to Assemble — You can gather in groups to protest, march, or meet peacefully to talk about things you care about.
5. Freedom to Petition the Government — You can ask the government and government representatives to fix problems or make changes by writing letters, starting petitions, or speaking out in public.

In short, the First Amendment makes sure you can have your own thoughts, share your ideas, and stand up for what you believe — as long as you do it peacefully.