A Louisiana man is facing charges of trespassing after violating COVID-19 restrictions during a visit to Walt Disney World earlier this year.
Kelly Sills of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was arrested on February 13 in Disney Springs after skipping the required temperature screening of visitors. The incident drew national attention this weekend after Orange County officials released camera images of the body showing the 47-year-old man in a heated exchange with the police at the time of his arrest.
“I paid $ 15,000,” says Sills in the clip. “You can’t break in if you’re paying $ 15,000. If I take $ 15,000 from you, I can’t kick you out. “
Sills told The Washington Post last week that he would have consented to a temperature screening, but inadvertently entered Disney Springs via an exit. Even so, he admitted to being “a bit grumpy” after a long day of travel.
He also clarified that the $ 15,000 figure was a reference to the total amount paid for a five-day trip to Disney World and Universal Studios for him and seven to eight family members.
“COVID is a very serious thing,” he said, “but it is also my vacation with my family.”
Disney Springs is an outdoor shopping and entertainment complex located next to Walt Disney World theme parks. Entrance to the attraction, formerly known as Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village and later Downtown Disney, is free.
Sills is perhaps the best-known case of a Disney World guest caught defying the COVID-19 protocols since the resort began a phased reopening in July 2020, after a four-month closure. A man from North Palm Beach, Florida, is facing battery charges for allegedly spitting on a security officer who asked him to wear a mask before entering one of the resort’s hotels.
In a statement, however, Disney spokeswoman Andrea Finger said the majority of visitors had been “totally in favor” of the resort’s protocols.
“Millions of visitors visit our theme parks each year and, on rare occasions, when things like this happen, we hold them responsible,” she wrote.
Disney currently requires all visitors over the age of 2 to wear masks. Guests must also receive temperature checks before entering certain locations and attractions.
These COVID-19 rules appear to be at odds with those of the state of Florida in general. Governor Ron DeSantis (R) boasted that his state is “growing” because he has taken a less restrictive approach to the coronavirus pandemic.
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