Boo Ban In Riverhead Brings Home National Attention

A controversial boo ban in Riverhead may have been lifted on Tuesday -- but the hot topic is still generating a buzz nationwide.

Esquire parodied the boo ban recently with a piece on how to "boo politely." For example, Esquire advised never to boo "without a British accent," "never like a Ukranian parliamentarian," "never within shouting distance of a child," and "never if beer is being spilt."

To read the full Esquire piece, click here.

The boo ban garnered an outpouring of media attention both locally and nationwide, after it was introduced by the Riverhead town board last month in an attempt to keep meetings civil and respectful.

But, after the public backlash, with some Patch commenters stating that banning booing was unconstitutional, the board decided to lift the ban, which they did with a unanimous vote at Tuesday's town board meeting.

"It's over," Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter said. "Let's put it behind us."

"Boo," said Councilman Jim Wooten.

"Everyone can boo now," Councilman John Dunleavy added.