LETTER: Le Jeune was singled out in unruly crowd for arrest, trial

To Ozaukee Press:

Including Christine Le Jeune, there were 11 speakers, including myself, who spoke at the Dec. 2, 2025 Port Washington Common Council meeting. Nine of the other speakers, again including myself, engaged in some sort of behavior that could have easily been interpreted as a violation of the narrowly defined disorderly conduct statute or as a violation of one of the many very strict rules governing one’s participation during the public comments section of the meeting. 

There were disrespectful name calling, abusive insults, unreasonably loud speeches and comments that evoked clapping or laughter that was disruptive. Two speakers exceeded the three-minute time limit and three others included profanity in their comments. 

At last Tuesday’s court hearing in Mid-Moraine Municipal Court, the judge viewed only a video of the first speaker and then of Christine’s speech. Had she viewed and listened to all of the speakers the judge would have realized that Christine was doing nothing more than what the rest of us were doing, that is exercising our right to free speech and, yes, in a sometimes very slightly raucous manner. Being allowed to do so in a public forum is in no small measure what makes our country the great country that it is. 

Judge Christine Ohlis is up for re-election on April 6, 2027. You may want to consider voting for other candidates who better understand what justice is.

James Parez

Grafton

Editor’s note: Le Jeune was removed by police from the December meeting attended by a crowd of citizens protesting the Port Washington data center and charged with disorderly conduct. She was found guilty and fined $187 last week.