Idaho school district bans anti-mask activist from property

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - An Idaho school district has banned from its property or other school-sponsored events a right-wing political activist recently arrested for leading anti-mask protests.

Ammon Bundy was handed a no-trespassing order until the end of the 2020-21 school year after he went to a high school football game and refused to wear a mask or leave the property after he was asked to by school officials and law enforcement.

Bundy was at an Oct. 2 football game to watch his sons play for Emmett High School in western Idaho. Emmett was playing at Caldwell High School.

The Caldwell School School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to ban Bundy. The vote also allows district officials to ban anyone else that violates health and safety protocols.

In August, Idaho State Police gave Bundy a similar no-trespass order that banned him from the Idaho State Capitol. Bundy was arrested when he refused to leave the building after receiving the order. He pleaded not guilty to charges last week.

Bundy was also arrested in August after leading a large group of maskless protesters in a demonstration against regulations implemented to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

"They want to control people so bad they just can't let it go!" Bundy wrote on his Facebook page about the school board's decision.

He also wrote that sports are the only reason his kids attend public school.

"Yes, my older boys are in public school because they want to play football," Bundy wrote. "Other wise (sic) I would pull them out and watch it burn."