Have you finished your daily routine yet? For example: making your bed, brushing your teeth, reading new stories about people coughing (or spitting or sneezing) on law enforcement amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Yeah … it’s become a bit of a thing. In the latest incident, this one out of Concord, New Hampshire, footage shows local police asking people to leave a playground because of the outbreak. Those individuals, who seem to be parents, responded in snide fashion.
An officer said they were free to use the rest of the park.
“Oh, we’re free to use all of the park,” said an unidentified man. “This is still America.”
Concord police said they’re investigating and charges are possible, according to NECN.
The confrontation continued, and escalated at least some of the parents apparently coughing right at the cops. The officers turned around and stepped away. A man holding a small child follows them.
At least one person linked to the incident has been identified, but denied coughing at or other wise being antagonistic to the cops. Rochelle Kelley is a member of the Weare School Board. There’s now a Change.org petition to remove her.
“Whether these actions and/or words were performed by her or in her presence, we the undersigned have lost faith in her ability to objectively, civilly, and maturely advocate for the children of Weare and its taxpayers,” the petition states.
She argued to NECN in an email that police were infringing on their right to assembly.
“The officers remained calm and kind, which I found admirable,” she wrote.
Weare School Board Chair Wendy Curry said there’s no “legal mechanism” for the board to remove a member.
You can watch the full video here:
[Screengrab via Facebook]
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