For the third time running, a Thornton political protester forced a city council meeting to shut down.
And for the second time in two weeks, Dariush Namazi was arrested for disrupting the meeting.
The Thornton resident refused Oct. 24 to leave the speaker’s podium at the end of his allotted speaking time, as he did during the Oct. 10th and Sept. 26 meetings. Thornton police charged him with trespassing and interference at a public building and disrupting a lawful assembly, adding a third set of charges to his Thornton record.
Those are the same two misdemeanors that were levied against him Oct. 10. Though the meeting was temporarily shut down during the Sept. 26 incident, Namazi was not charged that night.
Namazi goes by the name “Danny Kulmann” at many city events, wearing MAGA gear and carrying supposedly pro-mayor signs. Namazi says he is a political satirist, who believes Mayor Jan Kulmann is disguising her far-right beliefs.
Kulmann was granted a restraining order against Namazi in July, which ultimately led to his first arrest. Video footage shows Kulmann walking toward Namazi during the incident that led to the charges. The charges were later dropped.
Namazi made the same request Oct. 24 as he had previously, asking for a meeting with town officials to discuss accusations levied against him.
This time, he said a Thornton police officer assaulted and mugged him, taking his cell phone and twisting his arm. As he stood at the podium, he pointed into the audience at police officers.
“Which one of you grabbed me and pushed me?” he asked. “This is just another piece of this pattern of Jan Kulmann abusing her power because she needs to silence someone.
“I came here last time asking for one thing – a meeting with my elected representatives. I come in here week after week … they say no. They would rather ignore me, arrest me, stalk me, harass me, my family.”
When Kulmann asked Namazi to please sit down, he sat on the floor next to the podium and continued to ask for a meeting.
Councilor Karen Bigelow said she would take a meeting with Namazi. He thanked her and asked if anyone else would, continuing to sit on the floor.
Kulmann ordered the meeting in recess.
Thornton police spokesman Joe Walker, who was not at the meeting, said he had no information about police assaulting Namazi. He said officers on site confiscated items from Namazi before he entered the council chambers.
“It appears security had told him he couldn’t enter with a couple of items he had in his possession; one of the items was characterized as an unknown fluid,” he said. “I think that’s what he’s referring to.”
Namazi did not respond to a request for comment.