Protesters who entered Salmon Arm school facilities Friday afternoon, prompting schools to enact emergency protocols, continue to be called out for their 鈥渦nacceptable鈥� actions.

stating protesters 鈥渙pposed to vaccinations and masking鈥� had chosen to enter schools in and around Salmon Arm. As a result, schools were placed in 鈥渉old and secure鈥� for the remainder of the day.

Hold and secure is used when there is a security concern in the neighbourhood. Exterior doors and windows are locked and no one may enter the school. In response to Friday鈥檚 events, Kriger said as of Sept. 20 (an in-service day), outside doors to all schools would remain locked.

Kriger had called the actions of protesters 鈥渦nacceptable,鈥� a sentiment echoed by the City of Salmon Arm.

鈥淭he actions of a few, who chose to enter school properties, offices and classrooms without permission, crosses the line of acceptable behaviour,鈥� reads a statement issued by the city, shared on its Facebook page.

鈥淭he outpouring of support for our students and educators from across the region, the province and the country is heartfelt and appreciated. Rest assured, we will continue to work with our School District and the RCMP to ensure our schools remain safe and caring places for all families.鈥�

Both B.C. Premier John Horgan and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth spoke against the actions of protesters, as did Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside.

鈥淪chools need to be a safe place for everyone,鈥� said Whiteside via Twitter. 鈥淚t is entirely unacceptable to protest inside of schools, to speak with other鈥檚 children and undermine the decisions they鈥檝e made regarding the vaccine.鈥�

Whiteside I applauded the quick work of school staff to ensure student safety.

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Farnworth told the media that further safety options were being considered and people trespassing on school grounds could face criminal charges.

Salmon Arm RCMP attended two of the schools visited by protesters. According to police, the protesters were met by a security guard at the school, were asked to leave and were gone when police arrived.

鈥淭he protesters left without incident and the school followed their safety protocols and all students were safe,鈥� reads a Sept. 17 release from the RCMP.

A teacher at a school that was visited by a dozen protesters said he didn鈥檛 feel safe.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 feel safe for my students, I didn鈥檛 feel safe for other students in the building,鈥� South Canoe School teacher Yuri Melnychuk told the Observer.

According to school administration, none of the protesters who visited South Canoe were parents of children currently attending the school.

North Okanagan-Shuswap Teacher鈥檚 Association Local 83 president Graham Gomme said he鈥檚 grateful for all the public support teachers have received, and also for how School District 83 administrative staff, and the B.C. government, responded.

鈥淲hat I really appreciate about this is that it seems like, obviously, the vast majority of society is behind not having these kinds of protests, especially in schools or hospitals,鈥� said Gomme.

It is outrageous that anti vaccine protestors would threaten the safety and well being of students, teachers, and school staff like this. Thank you for the strong words condemning this irresponsible behaviour.

鈥� BCTF (@bctf)

There is no place for protestors on school grounds, let alone inside.

鈥� Greg Kyllo Shuswap (@KylloGreg)