A frequent New Jersey city corridor disruptor struck once more this week — pulling a stunt at a Tuesday assembly that landed him in handcuffs, however not earlier than serenading the room with a number of lyrics from a well-liked Morrissey hit.
Cranford resident William Thilly, 52, who reguarly causes scenes at public hearings, was arrested Tuesday night time after he refused to go away the rostrum throughout a township committee assembly, NJ.com reported.
In the course of the public remark portion of the assembly, Thilly approached the rostrum with an indication that learn “REFUSE GOVT. ABUSE.”
Thilly complained about what he described as authorities abuse world wide, however when his allotted 5 minutes had been up, he refused to yield the ground.
The city corridor menace then blasted Morrissey’s “The Extra You Ignore Me, The Nearer I Get” over the loudspeaker and sang alongside, waving his fingers within the air as he belted out the primary bars.
Regardless of receiving a number of warnings from the township committee members, Thilly continued to passionately sing the lyrics to the 1994 hit — which included the traces, “The extra you ignore me, the nearer I get, you’re losing your time.”
Thilly, who beforehand ran and misplaced for a spot on the township’s committee, was swiftly arrested by police and escorted out of the assembly.
The 52-year-old was slapped with third-degree aggravated assault on a legislation enforcement officer, resisting arrest, disrupting a gathering and obstructing the administration of legislation.
Authorities say that as Thilly was escorted out of the assembly by a number of officers, he intentionally fell to the bottom which brought on one officer to maintain a knee damage and require hospital care, the outlet reported.
Social media movies of the stunt present the wannabe crooner falling to the bottom as he was being eliminated by police, however doesn’t clearly present how the officer’s knee damage occurred.
“The Cranford Police Division has been devoted to making sure that our group can categorical themselves freely through the public remark portion of conferences,” Cranford Police Chief Matthew Nazzaro mentioned in a press release to the outlet.
“Nonetheless, it’s essential to know that freedom of speech doesn’t equate to freedom from penalties, particularly when an officer is injured in the middle of his duties.”
Earlier than Thilly’s singing snafu, one other Cranford resident who recognized himself as “Bongholeo,” took to the rostrum carrying a big purple bong costume.
The resident clutched to a pretend child named “Bongolito” that was additionally dressed as a bong whereas he belted out a parody of Lizzo’s “About Rattling Time” tune in his allotted time.
Thilly made headlines in September 2025 throughout one other Cranford township assembly when he sashayed as much as the rostrum and tried to breakdance as witnesses clamped their fingers over their mouths as they tried to not giggle.
He additionally sued city officers and the governing physique in November final yr, over alleged free speech violations and claimed the council censored him throughout a gathering that month by staging a stroll out after he confirmed up holding a seashore ball, the outlet reported.
Cranford Mayor Kathleen Miller Prunter mentioned that whereas township officers help residents’ rights to take part within the conferences, latest disruptions have brought on residents to really feel unsafe.
“Everybody has the proper to talk, sing, dance and document our conferences and nobody has ever been denied that chance,” she mentioned.
“Nonetheless, being constantly disruptive, combative and infringing on others’ proper to talk or hear won’t be tolerated,” she mentioned.
“These disruptions have been occurring since final yr and I’m involved the conduct of some has escalated to the purpose the place residents don’t really feel secure at Township Conferences and that their issues and concepts are being drowned out by the antics,” Prunter added.
Authorities mentioned the stuntman was launched from custody pending an look within the Union County Superior Court docket, NJ.com reported.
Thilly’s legal professional declined to remark when contacted by the outlet.
