Angry parent storms into a Richfield elementary school, goes on anti-mask rant

A Minnesota House of Representative tweeted about an incident where a parent stormed into a Richfield elementary school to complain about masks. The incident happened on the first day of school Wednesday.

The incident, which Rep. Mike Howard from District 50A tweeted about, involved a man who refused to wear a facemask and attempted to get staff members to remove theirs during student drop-off Wednesday morning at Richfield STEM Elementary School. Howard said his son was in the class when it happened.

"This madness has to stop, as does the anti-science/anti-govt rhetoric fueling the rage," Howard said in the tweet.

According to a spokesperson from Richfield Public Schools, the district is asking families and visitors to minimize their presence in school buildings. Everyone inside the buildings are asked to follow the district’s face-covering policy.

The spokesperson said the parent entered the elementary school, refusing to follow any instructions from building and district staff. In addition, he was not wearing a mask and was prompted to put a mask on or to leave. However, he refused both requests. He continued to get agitated and tried to engage staff members to remove their masks. The spokesperson said the behavior included accusations, threats and name-calling towards staff. The man did not engage or threaten students.

Staff notified police, and the parent was later removed from the area in handcuffs. KSTP has reached out to the Richfield Police Department for more details but has yet to hear back.

"We are committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for our students and faculty. Individuals and behavior that jeopardize safety will be dealt with accordingly," the spokesperson said.

On Thursday, there were no disruptive incidents.