Monday’s city council meeting provided some unusual moments.

During the delegation portion, Mayor Laura Cabott had to cut off three consecutive speakers who attempted to make statements on Palestine while ostensibly discussing the proposal for a temporary pay-for-use recycling depot.

Later in the meeting, Cabott ruled that a notice of motion provided by Coun. Michelle Friesen requesting the city take a stand on the Palestine issue was out of order and could not proceed.

First, Robin Reid-Fraser attempted to add a statement about Palestine to the end of her presentation, and initially disregarded several requests by Cabott to stop speaking.

The next two delegations also attempted to make comparisons between recycling and the situation in Palestine, visibly causing Cabott to become increasingly impatient and frustrated.

By the third speaker, Cabott had issued several warnings, and had the microphone cut off.

As the meeting neared its end after more than three hours, Cabott issued her ruling of Friesen’s motion, basically judging the content to not be relevant to city jurisdiction or business.

Friesen immediately appealed the decision, sending it to a council vote, where it was decisively rejected by the other council members.