3 people were arrested at a New York school board meeting for refusing to wear a mask and trespassing

• Three people were arrested at a New York school board meeting on Tuesday evening.
• Hilton Central School District told WHEC-TV one person refused to wear a mask after being asked.

Three people were arrested at a New York school board meeting earlier this week, including one who refused to comply with a mask mandate.

Several people in attendance at Tuesday's Hilton Board of Education meeting initially refused to don a face covering, the local ABC affiliate WHAM-TV reported. After being told repeatedly to follow the requirement, the majority of attendees did so, according to the outlet.

Hilton Central School District Director of Communications Grace Scism told the outlet only one person refused to comply.

"At that time, the individual was asked to leave the property and refused," she told the station. "The Monroe County Sheriff's Office responded, and the individual was arrested for trespassing."

Neither the school district, nor the sheriff's office immediately responded to Insider's request for comment.

Prior to the public portion of the meeting, Scism told WHEC-TV that a group of attendees were being so disruptive, that School Board President Brian O'Connor and Superintendent Casey Kosiorek suspended the meeting and cleared the auditorium. When two remaining people refused to leave, authorities arrested the individuals.

The incident is one of the latest examples of a troubling new trend of school board meeting erupting as passionate parents debate the merits of proven COVID-19 mitigation methods, such as masks and vaccines.

School board meetings across the country have grown so contentious, that earlier this month, the president of the National School Boards Association asked the Biden administration to step in and provide assistance in dealing with the increasing incidents of violence and intimidation.

Attorney General Merrick Garland responded by directing the FBI and US Attorney's Offices to meet with officials throughout the country and address the instances of increasing harassment, intimidation, and threats so that school officials can "work without fear for their safety."