Two Cochrane residents have been charged for being among those taking their anti-vaccination protest to the RancheView School on June 10.

A group of protesters, estimated to number four to seven people, also visited the town office in the Cochrane RancheHouse and attempted to enter another school.

The protesters had left before the RCMP arrived, but officers were able to track them down and determine they were part of the protest, explains Cpl. Troy Savinkoff of the Cochrane detachment.

The adult male and female suspects are alleged to have entered the school with anti-vaccination literature and have both been charged under the Trespass of Premises Act that carries a $600 fine. Should it not be paid by Aug. 20, a court appearance will be required.

"Schools are intended to be a safe place that are somewhat insulated from some of these things," says Cpl. Savinkoff. "Parents and adults alike want to keep their kids safe, and inside a school is not the appropriate place for outsiders to come in to start conducting whatever protest they might have, and certain the RCMP will respond to any complaints such as that in a similar fashion. "

He says the RCMP has received complaints of small protests in town and have come across a few, but this was the first one resulting in trespassing charges.

That same day, the protesters went to the town office to request a meeting with Mayor Jeff Genung to present him with literature.

"There were at least seven or so people, I understand," says Mayor Genung. "They were asking for my calendar and where they could run into next, and the town staff dealt with that. I was in meetings all that day, and I wasn't even aware they were in the building until they left."

The town staff denied them access to the mayor's schedule for the day.

Genung said they left without incident.