Reply #85: The meetings can go on, but order must be maintained

[slackmaster]

Here's the bottom line:

I've seen about a half dozen videos of meetings that were already completely out of control. A properly run meeting will never get to that state.

At any public meeting, someone is accountable for the use of the venue. That person has to be in charge and have absolute authority - A chairperson or moderator or whatever you want to call that position, but there has to be a dictator who has the authority to stop the meeting and to tell any person to leave. Having someone in that position is essential for safety as well as the orderly conduct of business.

A competent person chairing or moderating a meeting won't allow it to be taken over by disruptive people. The rules are always the same - One person speaks at a time, and nobody speaks until being recognized by the chairperson or moderator. People who speak out of turn get a warning or two, and if they persist the meeting is shut down until order is restored. The chairperson or moderator sets clear ground rules at the start of the meeting. Guest speakers make their presentations within a set time. Questions and comments are taken after the prepared presentation, one person at a time.

An individual who has been directed to leave and refuses to do so becomes a trespasser, and is subject to arrest.

If you KNOW in advance that disruptors are coming to your meeting, you make arrangements with law enforcement people in advance so they are ready to come on short notice, if they aren't already present at the start of the event.