Dissent criminalized in Greensboro?

Tony Wilkins is reporting that Greensboro political consultant Bill Burckley was arrested at last night's city council meeting. According to Wilkins, Burckley "laughed out loud during the meeting and was asked to leave." Burckley was apparently reacting to a vote by council expressing regret for the violent events of November 3, 1979.

Presumably, an arrest would arise from one's refusal to leave if instructed to do so by an officer of the law. We'll have to wait for details before making an informed evaluation, but we know this: There are often audible laughter, commentary and cat-calls from the meeting audience. It may be impolite but it is not uncommon and I doubt if it is illegal. I will be waiting to see if this can be explained as something other than unequal treatment for someone because of who he is or the views he holds.

UPDATE: Ben Holder, aka The Troublemaker, whose broken computer currently keeps him from posting to his own blog, was an eye witness. According to Ben, Burckley initially left of his own volition, but attempted to reenter the building. Security guards stopped him and asked him to leave because he had been disruptive. Ben says Burckley then said he was not leaving and demanded to be arrested, saying he was going to "have a lot of fun" subpoenaing the mayor and council. Ben said he tried to get Burckley to leave with him, offering to buy him a drink, but Burckley refused and continued to insist on being arrested, a demand he made seven times, according to Ben, before it was granted.

[Note: Burckley was incorrectly referred to as Wilkins in places in the above account of Ben Holder's recollections. The post has been corrected and I apologize for the error.]