Woman is forcefully removed from town hall meeting in Coeur d’Alene
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (KIFI) — UPDATE: Teresa Borrenpohl, the woman removed from a Kootenai County town hall, will not be cited with battery for allegedly biting a security guard.
Meanwhile, the security company involved has now lost its license. A Coeur d'Alene Police spokesperson says Lear Asset Management violated city law, requiring clear uniform markings identifying them as security.
According to a Kootenai County Republican Central Committee Facebook post, the town hall had "heightened security, with extra deputies and security personnel deployed due to an active threat targeting one of the participating legislators."
ORIGINAL: Chaos broke out during a Kootenai County town hall meeting Saturday.
Multiple witnesses began recording as a woman was forcefully removed from the Coeur d'Alene High School auditorium after vocally going back and forth with Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris and refusing to leave. According to Coeur d’Alene Police, the woman is Teresa Snyder Borrenpohl.
The following exchange is heard in a video obtained by Local News 8 through an affiliate:
Borrenpohl: "Is this a town hall or a lecture?"
Sheriff Norris: "Please leave or be escorted out."
The situation escalates when Borrenpohl is pulled from her seat by men in dark clothing.
They appear to be security guards. Sheriff Norris says Borrenpohl allegedly bit one of the men during the incident.
She was initially cited with battery, but that’s now under review as officials gather more information and video from witnesses.
The Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC) hosted the event. This statement was posted to the KCRCC Facebook page after the incident.
The Idaho Democratic Party Chair, Lauren Necochea, also released a statement, responding to the incident.
"Our democracy rests on our First Amendment rights. If we can’t question leaders elected to represent us without fear of reprisal, we are not free. The town hall is a valued American tradition that embodies these principles, providing a place for constituents to ask questions and share their opinions on the issues of the day. At the recent Kootenai County Republicans’ town hall, it was clear organizers did not intend to allow dialogue between legislators and the constituents they serve. It is a very sad day when a woman who voices dissent is physically dragged out of a public venue by unidentified men while the event moderator belittles and taunts her. Idaho deserves better.”
This is a developing story. We will post new information as we receive it.
