Anti-Mask Protesters Gather Outside Hawthorne Elementary

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — A group of six anti-mask protesters gathered outside Hawthorne Elementary School in Beverly Hills Wednesday afternoon, the district confirmed.

The maskless group gathered on the sidewalk outside the school and attempted to hand children fliers as they headed home for the day. Footage posted to Twitter by Beverly Hills Courier reporter Samuel Braslow shows protesters holding signs like “Question Covid Lies” and “Masks are a compliance check.”

One can be heard saying, “I’m positive you hate that mask, and it smells bad!”

At hawthorn elementary school in Beverly Hills, where a small group of anti-maskers has gathered with signs and flyers to protest public safety measures. They are telling passing children not to wear masks. pic.twitter.com/hsZvrRXNdP
— Samuel Braslow (@SamBraslow) April 21, 2021

The group gathered at around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, just as students were leaving, and left at around 3:30, according to district spokesperson Rebecca Starkins.

Hawthorne Elementary School Principal Sarah Kaber sent an email to parents telling them that the school anticipated the protest and had extra security on-hand. BHUSD Security, a private security firm, and the Beverly Hills Police Department were all present, Starkins said.

“We support every person’s constitutional rights when on public property,” Kaber wrote. “To ensure this afternoon remains peaceful we have support here from district leadership and Beverly Hills Police Department. We ask for your support in de-escalating and disengaging with any heightened feelings in order to make our students feel calm and safe.”

Kaber said that she spoke to 4th and 5th grade students Wednesday morning, and Starkins told Patch that students and parents ignored the protesters. In one clip, a student appears to consider taking a flier, by thinks the better of it. Braslow said that some students took fliers, then crumpled them up.

Hawthorne Elementary reopened to students on March 8, and has been open to students five days a week since April 21. Contrary to the advice of protesters, the school has advised students bring two masks to school, and each classroom is equipped with bags of PPE and cleaning supplies like face shields, disposable masks, vinyl gloves, different size masks for adults and children, tissues, sanitizers.

The school protest is the latest of many anti-mask protests in Beverly Hills. On April 7, a group of about 10 maskless protesters gathered outside Sephora on Beverly Drive and Dayton Way, chanting "No More Masks!" while holding orange pieces of paper that say "Boycott Sephora" "Sephora Supports Communism," and "Question COVID Lies." They attempted to enter the store, but store employees reportedly closed the door before they could enter.

In nearby Century City, In January, a group of anti-mask protesters marched maskless around Westfield Century City Mall. Some protesters got into physical confrontations with other shoppers. One was arrested, but later released.

It is unknown if the Hawthorne protesters participated in any of these events.

Related coverage:

Anti-Maskers Protest Outside Beverly Hills Sephora | Beverly Hills, CA Patch

Anti-Maskers Stage Protest At Century City Mall: Reports | Beverly Hills, CA Patch