Romney chides Mormons at airport who greeted missionaries

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Sen. Mitt Romney and Utah state leaders have criticized a large gathering of family and friends who converged at Salt Lake City’s airport to welcome home missionaries even though people are supposed to be keep their distance to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. Photos and videos show hundreds of people gathered Sunday night inside the airport’s parking lot to greet 900 missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints returning from the Philippines. Some family members hugged loved ones and many people stood shoulder-to-shoulder. The images prompted criticism from Romney and Utah Gov. Gary Herbert plus a church reminder that parents should go alone to pick up up missionaries.