ISHPEMING — Effective immediately, the city of Ishpeming will no longer broadcast its meetings on YouTube or local access channel 189 on Spectrum cable. In addition, Zoom meeting ID codes will be reserved for staff, as stated in a Thursday post on the city’s Facebook page.

“The decision regrettably comes after an upsurge in unfortunate rhetoric as well as the use of the footage and audio from the meetings for inflammatory purposes in online groups. Instances of property damage, threats, and harassment of staff, elected officials and candidates have sparked an (Ishpeming Police Department) investigation. As a result, some anonymous online activity in question has been traced to a suspect who currently resides outside of city limits,” the post reads.

Minutes, agendas and meeting materials will still be published online, and the public will still be welcome to attend council meetings. Residents who wish to express an opinion, concern or share information may continue to do so under public comment.

“The city encourages residents to continue using their First Amendment rights to express their opinions, no matter what they may be. However, as an organization it has become clear that the broadcasting of public meetings, a choice the city had made during the pandemic and continued voluntarily, is no longer necessary or productive in meeting the city’s goals,” the Facebook post states.