That request is common for things like graduation, where they don't want some grads to get huge responses from family, or friends, which interrupt the flow, and possibly leak over to the next grads moment. What if you get two or three grad families celebrating in a row, stepping on each other's celebrations, then they start arguing? Or it turns into a popularity contest, and some kids get wild applause while others get none? Or once they start applauding for some, they start booing at others?

You could see where it could get out of hand in a situation like that. But this is a public meeting, and the purpose is to allow people to speak their minds, and applauding in agreement is speech as well. Shutting down speech in a public government forum for speech is incongruous, inappropriate, and most of all ILLEGAL.

He will file a lawsuit, and win. I hope they pay off their house, go on a nice vacation, and still have enough to put in their retirement fund. And I hope every member of that council loses their seat.