[The Blaze] A mother-of-two was arrested by police in Meridian, Idaho, on Tuesday, after she violated the city’s ban against using playground equipment at a local park when she and other families allowed their children to play in a closed-off area.
Within hours of her interaction with law enforcement—part of which was caught on video—demonstrators congregated in front of Meridian City Hall to protest the actions of their local government.
Extended footage of the exchange with officers also drew some online backlash against the arrested mother, and local residents told TheBlaze that the event was a staged protest.
What are the details?
Sara Brady, 40, was arrested and charged with one count of misdemeanor trespassing, the Meridian Police Department announced in a press release, after officers responded to Kleiner Park following “several calls to Ada County Dispatch.”
The memo noted that “officers saw that metal signage and caution tape announcing the playground closure due to COVID-19 was removed,” and that they “observed numerous individuals gathered on the closed playground area.”
Brady, they said, had been “told to leave the playground multiple times.”
At least two videos of Brady’s interaction with police began circulating across the internet.
One shows the mother arguing to police that she and others were not trespassing, and asking the officers if they were “going to arrest everyone for not social distancing over there,” while pointing to people off camera.
After counting to five, an officer handcuffs Brady, and as she is walked off, another woman from behind the camera can be heard yelling, “Her kids are here! Her kids are here? What is going to happen? Who’s got her kids?”
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[Editor’s Note: This post was written by Brek Dumas and originally posted to The Blaze. Title changed by Montana Daily Gazette]
