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Tampa Town Hall on Health Turns Ugly

Forum turns into rowdy shouting, shoving match

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 7, 2009 6:30 AM CDT

(Newser) – Rowdy protesters turned a Tampa town hall meeting on health care reform into a near-riot last night, reports the St. Petersburg Times, whose reporter at the scene likened the atmosphere to a wrestling cage match. Local Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor was shouted down by audience members crying "Tyranny!" and "40 million illegals!" as the overflow crowd waiting outside the building pounded on the doors.

"They can't even run a meeting, and they want to run health care?" asked one activist as the meeting became chaotic. Many of the estimated 1,500 people in attendance said they had been encouraged to come by an activist group promoted by Glenn Beck. Castor—who left the meeting early after being drowned out by the boos and jeers—said that while a strong debate is healthy, some "phony protests" are being created by the GOP and insurance industry.

[Images (2)]

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"Republican activists are manufacturing a lot of these phony protests,'' said Rep. Kathy Castor. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

Protesters gather outside a town hall meeting in Tampa last night. (sunsetfans)

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Rep. Kathy Castor gets shouted down at a town hall meeting last night. (johnsmithers77)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 35 comments

Shannonals

Aug 8, 2009 3:51 AM CDT

The instant a life is lost at one of these town halls or someone is seriously injured from an argument that has gotten out of hand, watch how fast guys like Beck and Hannity disowned them from fear of a lawsuit.

Netstorm2k10

Aug 7, 2009 12:14 PM CDT

If I were leading an oligarchy intent on controlling the populace, you know how I would keep the people under my thumb, distracted and dumb, while I advanced my own agenda? I would keep them divided with bi-polar partisanship, taking sides. It would be so easy, with pocket pundits, and morally bankrupt media companies, like dogs barking at each other. I'd play on the peoples emotions from both sides of each issue, letting their desires do my work for me. And while they were distracted, thinking they were fighting for something, I would quietly run their lives, deciding who lives, and who dies

paul123

Aug 7, 2009 12:07 PM CDT

My point is made here. there is no proof that beck incited this, nor is there an accurate count on how many actually were encouraged to go by him. I can guarantee this...beck didn't encourage people to riot.

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Politics • Health • US

Florida • Republican Party • Tampa • Glenn Beck • health care reform • town hall meeting

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Tampa Town Hall on Health Turns Ugly