KENT COUNTY, Mich. – A health official in West Michigan said people have threatened his life because he issued a school mask mandate.
Kent County Health Director Adam London is asking county commissioners for help. He told them his team is broken and he feels unsafe.
Parents upset with mask mandates, that are meant to protect their children from coronavirus, have spoken out at Kent County Commission meetings. London said a person cursed at him and said, “I hope someone abuses your kids and forces you to watch.”
“I want you to know that I will not needlessly expose myself (or my family for that matter) to the brute mob hatred that is crudely evident in a vocal and energized minority. ...
These are people who hope to force their views on others through intimidation , aggression, and their rhetoric suggests violence as well. I will not participate in witch trials in which the science I’ve presented and the opinions of legitimate experts is reduced to the same stage as people living in echo chambers of junk science, salespeople and YouTube videos. For the leaders of these misinformation campaigns, it’s never really been about our data, it’s been about their dogma.”
Adam London
Republican state legislators who threatened to pull funding from the health department because of the mask mandate are speaking out against the threats.
London said he is not making public appearances because of the threats. The Kent County Board of Commissioners denounced the violence and said it needs to be reported to police.