Punches Thrown During Memphis Vote on Elon Musk Data Center
Angry scenes erupted on Tuesday after Memphis officials delayed action on proposed data center restrictions.
A Memphis City Council vote to delay action on proposed data center restrictions turned violent on Tuesday, according to The Commercial Appeal. The council voted to postpone any decision on a data center moratorium or further restrictions, sparking outrage among audience members who began booing and leaving their seats. Council members followed suit, excusing themselves from the chamber and halting the meeting altogether.
Amid the chaos, a physical altercation erupted in the City Hall lobby, though the motive remains unknown, as reported by WREG. Footage circulating online depicts the confrontation, where punches were thrown and one person can be heard shouting "sellout." The Commercial Appeal's reporter Annie Goldman captured the aftermath, noting the heavy police presence and the discontent among advocates.
The contentious debate over data center restrictions unfolded following the construction of two hyperscale data centers by SpaceXAI, located in Memphis's Boxtown and Whitehaven neighborhoods. An activist group, Indivisible Memphis, had previously posted on Instagram, declaring: "Memphis belongs to Memphis — not Elon Musk."
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