Anti-Maskers Who Threatened To Zip Tie School Principal Charged

Three anti-maskers who stormed an Arizona school last week armed with zip ties to arrest the principal have been charged.

Kelly Walker, Frank Tainatongo, and Rishi Rambaran went to Mesquite Elementary School in Tucson to address principal Diane Vargo about Rambaran’s son being told to quarantine after a COVID-19 exposure. The men came with zip ties and threatened to citizen’s arrest her for having the child stay home.

Walker, who is a coffee shop owner, recorded the confrontation on social media. He and Tainatongo were arrested on Monday for third-degree criminal trespassing. Rambaran was cited and released for the same charge on the day of the incident.

Walker went to Mesquite Elementary School with Rambaran to defend his friend’s son and film the confrontation. Neither of Walker’s five children attends the school. It remains unclear what Tainatongo’s relationship is to the men.

Walker states in the video that Rambaran’s son was “indiscriminately taken to the office to be quarantined,” while no other kids were. He accused the school of breaking the law and even falsely claimed to be a scientist when confronting principal Vargo. When she asked the men to leave, and they refused, she contacted the police. They fled before authorities arrived, and Vargo was not harmed.

Walker and Rambaran are scheduled to appear in court on September 15th. Tainatongo is due in court on September 20th. Each man faces 30 days in jail if found guilty.