SARATOGA SPRINGS — For the second time within a few months, a Black Lives Matter activist was charged following a heated City Council meeting.
Lexis Figuereo, the founder of Saratoga Black Lives Matter, was charged Friday alongside Bridgette Barr with obstruction of government administration, a misdemeanor, and disorderly conduct, a violation, according to Saratoga Springs City Court officials.
Public Safety Commissioner Jim Montagnino said the charge was filed through Saratoga Springs police after Figuereo took the microphone from someone speaking during the public comment period at the April 4 city council meeting and Barr approached council members and took Montagnino’s microphone.
Saratoga Springs police had not returned a call for comment Tuesday. Both Barr and Figuereo are due in court at 8:30 a.m. Monday, April 24.
Also due in court that day is BLM activist and Figuereo’s sister Chandler Hickenbottom, who was arraigned on a disorderly conduct charge in March. The charge was requested by Montagnino in response to the public comment period during a Feb. 7 council meeting, in which Hickenbottom had a debate with city officials that reportedly went beyond her allotted two minutes.
Attorney Mark Mishler, who is representing Hickenbottom in court, said Tuesday he had not received notice of “what appears to be a baseless charge,” against Figuereo, but said he would be representing him.
“Whatever charge the commissioner of public safety has somehow deemed to bring against my client, we’re going to evaluate it and fight it,” he said.
Court officials said Mechanicville Judge Constantine DeStefano, who is presiding over Hickenbottom’s case, would also preside over Figuereo and Barr’s case.
Montagnino’s decision to seek charges against Hickenbottom brought a swift rebuke from Mayor Ron Kim and his fellow city…
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