Salem's city council voted unanimously to pursue a data center moratorium after residents - and a guillotine - pushed back on a $5.1 billion AI facility.

Someone brought a guillotine to a city council meeting in Salem, Oregon on July 27, 2026. Not a sign shaped like one. Not a drawing. According to community accounts and social media posts, an actual guillotine structure appeared at the protest outside Loucks Auditorium, where hundreds of residents had gathered to oppose a proposed multi-billion-dollar AI data center. Company representatives reportedly assessed the scene and left, citing safety concerns — though that detail hasn’t appeared in formal news coverage or official minutes.

  • Leon@pawb.social
    24·
    3 days ago

    Non violent protest can work, if the implicit message is that “We will resort to violence if we need to. We are doing you a favor by being peaceful, do not mistake our kindness for submission.”

    I think this is the key, unfortunately.