Michigan health official nearly run off the road by anti-masker

Kent County health commissioner Adam London during an announcement last month (MLive)

A health official in Michigan was reportedly forced to ask for help from a county’s board of commissioners after he was almost run off the road by a woman who disagreed with mask wearing in schools.

Adam London, the director for Kent County’s department of health, allegedly told county commissioners in a letter last month that there was a “sickness in America” after being targeted for introducing a mandate requiring masks in local schools.

The local official said in he could do no more to control Covid infections if people refused to comply with mask-wearing, and called the situation throughout the US troubling.

He also wrote in the letter that he and his team were “broken” by the backlash.

His email, as Michigan Advance and The Washington Post reported, came after Kent County’s health department introduced a mandate for mask wearing in local schools on 20 August. It was obtained through a Freedom of Information request.

The Kent County mask mandate was announced as children started to return to indoor lessons and those under 12-years-old continue to wait for approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be vaccinated against Covid.

Within hours of that mandate being announced, Dr London wrote in his email to Kent County’s board of commissioners – which was sent on 22 August – that he was almost forced off the road by a woman travelling at 70mph.

He also faced verbal abuse, was forced to attend a meeting virtually because of the threat of physical abuse, and was reportedly told: “I hope someone abuses your kids and forces you to watch!”

The abuse directed at Kent County’s health director comes a year after investigators uncovered a plot to kidnap Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, and which he said was carried out “by the same people who dismiss the plot” as “just guys joking around".

He also compared his abusers to those who consider the 6 January insurrection at the US Capitol to be “a peaceful patriotic protest”.

“I think it is a grave mistake to unnecessarily give them targets and platforms. There is a sickness in America far more insidious than COVID,” Dr London wrote” .You are more empowered to fight this disease than I am."

Police in Kent County were informed of the 20 August incident, but told Raw Story that Dr London was unable to get the licence plate for the woman who targeted him while driving.

“Dr London was given options as to when he could file a report; however, no report was filed with the Kent County Sheriff's Office,” the office said.