VIDEO: Idaho mother arrested for letting her kids play in the park

An Idaho mother was arrested for letting her children play in areas of the park that were closed down because of coronavirus restrictions:

Here’s more from the Idaho Statesman:

An Idaho anti-vaccination activist was arrested at Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park in Meridian on Tuesday afternoon after police asked families who gathered on a closed playground to leave.

Sara Walton Brady, 40, of Meridian, was noncompliant and refused to leave after being given many opportunities, police said. She was arrested on one count of misdemeanor trespassing. She was booked into Ada County Jail and released.

According to police, as children played on the playground equipment — which had police caution tape around it when they arrived — parents questioned a Meridian Police Department officer about why the playground was closed.

On March 23, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the city of Meridian closed city playgrounds and outdoor exercise equipment, while allowing walking paths to remain open.

According to a police press release, officers on Tuesday night responded after several calls were made to dispatch. Officers then informed those gathered that the playground structure was closed and that they were welcome to utilize open areas of the park.

After the arrest of Brady, police cordoned off the playground again with caution tape, signifying its closure. Video on Facebook showed some people taking that tape down as well.

Police said metal signage showing that the playground was closed also was removed.

“These are very trying times, and the Meridian Police Department supports the public’s right to assemble for peaceful protest. However, the right does not include damaging public property or ignoring closures of city property and facilities,” the police press release said on Tuesday.

Walton Brady posted a $300 cash bond Tuesday evening, and her next court date is set for May 29, according to online court records.

You’d think this was New York City with such drastic action taken by police. But it’s in Idaho, who is near the bottom in the US when it comes to coronavirus cases. Sure, Meridian is in Ada county which has the most cases in Idaho, but even so these kinds of restrictions are ridiculous. It’s time to stop the madness and stop arresting people for being outdoors in a park. This kind of authoritarianism is just ugly.

UPDATE: Here’s a longer video of what happened:


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