GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — A man orchestrating a one-man protest outside an elementary school Monday caused concern among parents dropping off their kids, prompting some to station themselves around him to avoid interactions with students.
The 35-year-old man was standing on the sidewalk outside Griffin Elementary Monday holding a sign regarding the importance of fathers' rights in the context of custody battles.
“You don't really know what anybody is capable of, especially with the shootings that are happening in the world today,” Katt Colella told FOX 17 Monday afternoon.
Colella has kids in the district, but they do not attend Griffin.
The man was protesting outside one of her kids' schools last week, prompting her to go speak to their principal.
“I'm all for peaceful protesting and everything, but I think that the audience and the location is just a little too raw.”
After hearing that the man was outside of Griffin on Monday, she drove by to check out the situation.
“He was yelling cuss words and everything at people, while elementary school children were getting off of the bus.”
Several parents had positioned themselves in the grass and concrete nearby, trying to reduce his interactions with students and staff.
Colella took a photo of what was happening and posted it to the Grand Haven Informed Facebook group, where it racked up over 750 comments in under six hours.
The man, who FOX 17 is choosing not to identify at this time, is known to police in Grand Haven.
Director of Public Safety Jeff Hawke said Monday that the man "has a history of similar behaviors and has visited the Grand Haven High School and area government buildings."
While looking into his activities Monday, FOX 17 found that the Department of Public Safety has posted a public notice to the man. The notice is hanging in the lobby of the Public Safety building.
"Your behavior toward GHDPS Officers and staff has been abusive, threatening, and vulgar on more than one occasion," the notice begins.
Several alleged instances of such behavior are listed, including, "sitting in a chair in front of City Hall making obscene gestures at motorists."
"You are in control of and responsible for your behavior. Based on your behavior, Department staff will no longer engage with you via phone or in-person conversations," the notice reads.
It goes on to spell out how the man is now instructed to request emergency services or any other pertinent information from the department of public service.
The 35-year-old was charged with several counts back in May 2008, including selling/furnishing alcohol to a minor and assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer.
In the end, he was only convicted on a misdemeanor assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer charge.
