Police officers from Wyoming reportedly arrested a 16-year-old girl and put her school on a lockdown simply because she wouldn't wear a mask.
WND said the video of teenager Grace Smith has been circulating in social media the past days for it showed her in handcuffs when she was arrested before being removed from her school, Laramie High School for refusing to wear a mask. The arrest took place Thursday.
Accordingly, Smith previously was served by the school with "two consecutive two-day suspensions" for non-compliance of the mask mandates given by the Albany County School District. The said mandate particularly requires that "anyone inside a district building must have his or her face covered."
Smith, in an interview with the Sioux City Journal revealed that she refuses to wear a mask because she believes the mandates are a violation of her constitutional rights. She disclosed that she "just left" the school the first time she was suspended for not complying with the mandates.
"Then, after talking with our attorney, we decided to push it, so on Tuesday I didn't (leave) and took the citation for $500 and then left," Smith said during the interview.
Smith was then warned by the school's administration that she will be issued a misdemeanor trespassing citation each time she enters the school premises without a mask on. Each citation is worth $500 in penalties. Yet despite the warning, Smith came on Thursday without a mask and received another citation from two Laramie Police Department officers.
However, she refused to leave the school and asserted her right to be there. This prompted the Laramie Police Department officers to arrest her. The two officers had her place her hands in front of her before they were handcuffed. Then they accompanied her out of the school to the police department for release. Smith captured the entire event through her cellphone.
Smith revealed that she was surprised in learning afterwards that the school was imposed with a lockdown. She was also arrested despite her video showing that she wasn't making a scene, that what transpired took place calmly and respectfully for both parties.
"They told me they were going to do that. I was surprised they followed through. They came up to me probably 20 minutes before I was arrested and said that if you continue to not leave, we will arrest you," Smith said.
Meet Grace. She's a 16 year old girl who's showing more courage than most men right now. She's refusing to comply with the mask mandate her Wyoming school board is trying to force. She was fined and arrested. Here's her arrest. She's a hero.
Support her: https://t.co/reUHkcHjHx pic.twitter.com/fs0Xr5mz03
"” Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) October 9, 2021
Smith's father, Andy, said the Laramie police previously told them that no arrests will be made should his daughter continue to go to school without a mask on.
"They told us how this was going to play out before it happened. They all said they were not going to arrest kids. But she was taken into custody, handcuffed and brought down to the detention center," he disclosed.
Meanwhile, the school district through spokesman Sean O'Sullivan explained that the lockdown was "brief" and meant to keep everyone "safe" and to avoid further disruptions in learning due to a "student disciplinary disturbance."
"Everyone is safe. That's the big key right now," O'Sullivan said.
"The lockdown was issued in order to prevent further interruptions to academic learning," he claimed.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
A fundraiser was created to help Grace raise funds to be used for legal fees in fighting for her and other students' civil liberties. Those who want to support her cause can donate to her GiveSendGo campaign.
