A Covington Catholic High School parent voiced his frustration Tuesday with how his child and the boy's classmates were being portrayed, and with the “left-wing mob” targeting them over their interactions with a Native American activist.



The parent, identified as Rick, said on Fox News Radio’s “Todd Starnes Show” that his son attended the rally with Nick Sandmann, a junior who has become the public face of the controversy.



“This left-wing mob that's chasing them down for really, in the end, being white Catholic kids wearing red hats,” Rick told Starnes.

The parent told Starnes that, as he understands it, the students purchased red “MAGA” hats at the mall and didn’t understand the hats would make them bigger targets to protesters.



“That was the cherry on top for the two groups that targeted them,” Rick said.

The students were captured on video at the Lincoln Memorial in a confrontation with a Native American activist this past Friday after attending the March for Life rally. After the video went viral, other footage emerged that seemed to alter the context of the initial clip.

OPINION: THE KENTUCKY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE STILL KIDS

However, some on the left continue to voice their displeasure with the Kentucky high school students.

“Those people like Kathy Griffin who are, you know, calling for these kids to be identified are despicable,” Rick told Starnes.



“Name these kids. I want NAMES. Shame them. If you think these f---ers wouldn’t dox you in a heartbeat, think again,” the comedian tweeted Sunday. Doxxing is searching for and publishing private or identifying information about someone on the Internet, and often has malicious intent.

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The school was closed Tuesday and will continue to be closed until authorities say it is safe for the students to return to class.



Asked if the students, parents or chaperones had any idea that a controversy would ensue, Rick said, “There was no inkling that there was any kind of controversy when they left Lincoln Memorial.”