South Salt Lake City Council member Paul Sanchez was arrested March 13 on suspicion of trespassing when attempting to enter City Hall after being banned from attending meetings by the City Council.
South Salt Lake Councilman Paul Sanchez was arrested after he tried to enter city hall, violating a censure imposed on him by the council that, among other restrictions, required he attend meetings remotely. #utpolhttps://t.co/ZF3xVXWU6L
— Utah News Dispatch (@UTNewsDispatch) March 15, 2024
Body camera footage obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune shows four police officers confronting Sanchez as he tries to enter the building. Deputy Chief Ryan Cram told Sanchez he could stand outside, but was forbidden from coming inside. Sanchez demanded that the officers arrest him after Cram attempts to shut the door on him. “You’re going to arrest me!” Sanchez insists.“What you’re doing is against the law. It’s unconstitutional.” After refusing to leave, the officers put Sanchez in cuffs. (RELATED: Salt Lake City Bar Owned By Michael Valentine Bans Zionists ‘Forever’)
The incident came a week after the South Salt Lake City Council censured Sanchez on account of his recent social media posts. The Council required that he attend meetings virtually for at least 90 days, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. According to a city report, allegations were made that he publicly released Chair Sharla Bynum’s place of work and her phone number in a social media post. Sanchez allegedly told fellow council member Corey Thomas in a post to “f*** off” after alleging that “her behavior online has painted me out to be some kind of woman hater.” The posts were not visible as of Friday on his Facebook or Instagram accounts, according to the outlet.
Sanchez said a statement that he believes that the council is violating state and federal law in censuring him, and is planning to take legal action, according to the outlet. “This course of action transcends personal vindication; it is a steadfast commitment to uphold the principles of democracy, integrity and civil liberties,” he reportedly said. “It serves as a resolute stand against the unlawful overreach and the deliberate disregard for constitutionally and statutorily protected rights by those in positions of power within our community.”
Sanchez later accused the officers of using excessive force in his arrest. “Every day, we witness an erosion of our civil liberties,” he said in a statement this week, according to the outlet. “The arrest I endured was not merely an assault on my First Amendment rights and personal freedoms; it was an affront to the very constituents I serve.”
Sanchez’s court date for the trespassing charge is scheduled for April 15, the outlet reported.