New Jersey Town Council Candidate Breakdances at Meeting to Protest Property Tax Hike
CRANFORD, NEW JERSEY – Public meetings often feature heated speeches or loud arguments, but one town council candidate in Cranford took a far different approach. Instead of shouting about a recent property tax hike, Will Thilly stunned attendees by launching into a breakdancing routine.
A Protest in Motion
When it was his turn to speak during the public comment portion, Thilly stepped away from the microphone. To the confusion of the audience, he began moving silently with dance-like gestures, waving his arms and shifting his body in deliberate motions.
For nearly 30 seconds, attendees sat in stunned silence, unsure what was happening. Then Thilly picked up a piece of paper, announced, “I can do a backspin,” and dropped to the floor to prove it.
After finishing his spin, he finally addressed the tax issue. Even then, he refused to end in a conventional manner—moonwalking back to his seat after his remarks.
Online Reactions Go Viral
A town council candidate in Cranford, New Jersey breakdancing at a public meeting to protest a property tax hike
byu/The__Bolter inTikTokCringe
Though meeting attendees didn’t clap or cheer, the internet quickly picked up on the clip, turning Thilly’s performance into a viral moment.
“Anyone that can breakdance has my vote,” one commenter wrote. Others said the stunt was far more original than the shouting matches that often dominate public meetings.
Some joked that Thilly’s moves were so effective he might even “win the presidency if elections were decided on dance moves.” Another user declared: “Silent interpretive slow motion breakdance protest. This is what 1776 was all about.”
Divided Opinions
Not everyone approved. A handful of critics said antics like Thilly’s trivialize the seriousness of council business. But those voices were drowned out by supporters who praised the stunt as a refreshing way to snap people out of mid-meeting monotony.
As one commenter summed it up: “Not breakdancing till the very end, but effective nonetheless… everyone’s attention was on him.”
A Candidate Who Stands Out
Whether or not his breakdancing helps him win a council seat, Thilly has already succeeded in grabbing attention. His unusual protest highlighted public frustration over rising property taxes—and proved that sometimes, politics is as much about performance as policy.
Would you vote for a candidate who uses creativity instead of speeches to make a point? Join the discussion at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.
