A feared large-scale protest outside Chinook Trail Middle School failed to materialize Tuesday.

Academy School District 20’s Chinook Trail Elementary School shut down and Chinook Trail middle schoolers learned remotely Tuesday after the Colorado Springs Police Department received an inquiry about a permit to allow 1,600 protesters to demonstrate outside the middle school.

While police did not issue a special events permit, which would only be required for a large-scale protest that closes off streets, the district elected to cancel elementary school classes and hold middle school classes remotely out of “an abundance of caution” to keep students safe and try to mitigate the disruption to the student’s learning environment, said Allison Cortez, spokeswoman for the district. The elementary school is next door to the middle school.

Colorado Springs’ largest district made local and regional headlines after investigating an allegation that Chinook Trail Middle School staff members were securing masks to students’ faces with tape.

At Thursday’s school board meeting, several parents and local residents showed up wearing blue tape on their faces and clothes in protest. The district has interviewed dozens of students and employees and is analyzing statements, officials said.

The school district issued a mask mandate last month, citing a spike in positive COVID-19 cases and quarantines.

Shortly after Chinook Trail Middle School’s first and second bells rang out across the school grounds Tuesday, a cluster of about 10 concerned

parents and community members gathered on a sidewalk corner across the street from the school with signs and American flags in hand.

When Rob Rogers, a District 20 parent, heard protesters might show up to the school, he was outraged.

“We’re basically a counterprotest of sorts just to let them know they can try as hard as they want, but we’re just moms and dads in the district that care about the students and we’re not going to be intimated by them.”

Rogers carried a sign that read “Kids First!”

“We’re out here to show support for the teachers and administrators here that have had their day disrupted,” Rogers said.

Other parents waved signs that read “Stop the Hate” and “Let Teachers Teach.”

Cars and trucks drove past honking their horns in solidarity while others gave thumbs-down as they rode past.

Cari Karns, another D-20 parent, stopped by before heading to work Tuesday and waved a sign that read “Kids 1st Not Politics.”

Karns said she was worried about the people who might come to the school and protest.

“They (students) just want to be in school,” Karns said. “They want to be around their friends. They want to be in person for their lessons and anything we do that promotes that is great. When we have disruptions like this that pull kids out of school, it just breaks my heart.”