Woman Arrested for Refusing to Leave Playground Apologizes

Sara Brady in a booking photograph. Ada County Sheriff's Office

A woman in Idaho who was arrested for refusing to leave a playground closed off because of the COVID-19 pandemic apologized for her actions.

Videos showing Sara Brady, 40, arrested at the playground circulated widely online and sparked a protest of hundreds at Meridian’s City Hall last week. Brady, who appeared at the protest, said she felt “singled out,” wondering if it was “because I asked too many questions.”

Brady later held a press conference outside the Meridian Police Department and apologized to the officer who arrested her.

“I never thought a knee-jerk comment made to you out of frustration, by me wanting my kids to play at a park, would create such a divide amongst our friends, family, community, the state of Idaho, our nation and the world,” Brady said, according to CBS 2. “A divide that seems impossible for me to mend.”

Brady said she was upset by Gov. Brad Little’s stay at home order, which has left Idaho residents—like many Americans—facing repercussions if they engage in what were previously normal activities, such as playing on playgrounds or gathering for family events.

Brady said she’s watched as “our God-given rights crumble before my eyes,” citing high stress levels from tending to her children, who have been largely confined to home.

But she said that wasn’t an excuse for her behavior, adding: “I let my frustrations get the better of me.”

Transmission electron micrograph of the CCP virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2, isolated from a patient. Photo published March 10, 2020. NIAID

The city of Meridian shut all playgrounds and outdoor exercise equipment down on March 23 in an attempt to curb the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, a novel coronavirus that emerged from mainland China last year. The virus causes COVID-19, a disease.

The Meridian Police Department said officers arrested Brady because she was “violating city orders.”

Officers tried helping Brady adhere to the rules but she wasn’t compliant, the department said in an April 21 statement.

The department hasn’t responded to Brady’s apology but did issue a follow-up statement expressing awareness of social media posts listing Brady’s home address.

“Her family has asked for extra patrol which we are providing. Please stay away from her home, this just takes away from our abilities to protect our community,” it said.