BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Bellingham’s city council has suspended public comments for the remainder of the year, citing safety concerns.

Last week, Bellingham City Council member Daniel Hammill made the announcement, explaining that they need to evaluate the safety of council chambers.

Hammill added that the city plans to revise protocols and explore options to ensure safe and civil public discourse.

At the Oct. 7 regular meeting, a man that Hammill said was threatening Mayor Kim Lund, council members and their families was removed from the chambers by Bellingham Police.

“I am asking you, Mayor Lund, to imagine the injustice of homelessness thrust upon you,” the man—called “Daniel” by Hammill—said. “Imagine I can grab you by your throat and shove you against a telephone pole and command you to leave a public thoroughfare in a drunken fit of rage because I am a homeowner.” He used other strong descriptions of hypothetical crimes against council members to illustrate a point that police will not respond to incidents involving homeless people.

Mayor Lund said in an email to employees last week that multiple entrances and public spaces are not monitored consistently. She adds that her proposed 2025 budget would build a city security team that would be stationed at City Hall and the Bellingham Public Library among other locations.

Lund, the city and Hammill all said they want to create a “safer, more welcoming” environment at City Hall. She mentioned in her email multiple incidents of safety concerns at City Hall in recent years.