A Meridian woman has been arrested for trespassing on a Meridian playground Tuesday afternoon.
According to a witness, Sara Walton Brady, a pro-freedom activist from Meridian was arrested by the city police. The witness told Idaho Freedom Foundation that officers threatened to give trespassing citations to everyone involved in the playdate protest.
Updates below: (updated at 11:05 pm, April 21)
The Meridian Police Department confirmed the arrest in a press release Tuesday evening.
"Meridian officers made several attempts to help BRADY adhere to the rules," the release explained. "She was non-compliant and forced officers to place her under arrest to resolve the issue. She was arrested for trespassing."
Brady was charged with a misdemeanor. She now faces up to 6 months in jail and up to a $1,000 fine.
The Meridian mother, a well-known freedom activist in the Treasure Valley was participating in a playdate protest at Kleiner Park in Meridian. It is not known how many parents and children attend the playdate, but Facebook live streams that captured the arrest show dozens of kids on the playground.
The playground had been closed by government officials in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Police booked Brady into Ada County Jail on Tuesday afternoon. She bailed out and shortly after departing the facility, she appeared at a protest at Meridian City Hall.
Brady plans to fight the charge.
The arrest comes days after police in the North Idaho town of Rathdrum cited a mother of six for holding a non-essential yard sale. The mother, Christa Thompson, also faces a misdemeanor charge. Edward Dindinger, a Boise-based attorney, will represent Thompson for free.
It's unclear if Brady has retained an attorney.