My youngest is severely autistic.
None of this Asperger’s syndrome,mild or things like that. I mean full on you have a child for life autism.
The problem with the label is it’s so broad these days and way too inclusive. Terms have been changed and it doesn’t give a very good description of one’s true condition.
When I was growing up a person like my son would be labeled mildly to moderately retarded.
I know that sounds harsh but it was how they labeled people like him and it did a much better job of stating one’s true condition and helped set expectations for his needs or what he might be like.
Since the Rainman movie,the political correctness and a few other things it has really made it difficult to both understand and absorb what true autism is.
As far as the incident goes. It is absolutely the parents fault.
They know better than anyone else what the challenges might be and it’s not the publics job to placate them.
If the kid can’t handle it then don’t take him in there.
My son is 22 he’s never been invited to a birthday party,he has never had a true friend,he never had a girlfriend,he will never drive nor live independently.
That sucks! But it’s not the publics problem other than just to hopefully be kind to him whenever and however possible.

It’s just an unfortunate sign of the times and world we live in.
There is a growing segment of society that thinks if you do not fully accommodate them despite whatever your good reason is for not then you are in turn discriminating against them.
Honestly from the heart. Half the children I have seen first hand labeled as autistic were nothing more than little monsters.
My own son has had to be in classrooms with them and they can be uncontrollable and extremely mean spirited.
That’s a situation you can’t do a lot about as a parent you have to send your kid to school but taking them in public is a choice. If you have such a child then it is your responsibility to protect everyone else not the other way around.