PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Students protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies in Pennsylvania were detained for four days following a confrontation with law enforcement, and their attorneys say the students were unaware that a man who intervened in the scuffle was the local police chief.
Details of the Incident
The students from Quakertown Community High School were demonstrating outside a bakery approximately a half-mile from their school when they were approached by police. According to defense lawyers, the students acted in self-defense during the ensuing altercation. Charges against the students include a simple assault charge elevated to aggravated assault, a felony, due to the alleged victim being Police Chief Scott McElree.
Defense lawyer Donald Souders stated that McElree “charged from his vehicle into the middle of this group of kids” and that students intervened believing he was a counterprotester. The attorneys claim McElree arrived in an unmarked car, without identifying himself as police, and without wearing a uniform.
Lawyer Timothy Prendergast, representing a 15-year-old girl, stated his client “was directly choked by the chief” and maintains she did not strike McElree. He added that the students were exercising their First Amendment rights.
Legal Ramifications and Community Response
At least three students were released Tuesday, some with ankle monitors and restrictions on their movement. It remains unclear if the other students involved are still in custody. The Bucks County District Attorney, Joe Khan, has opened an investigation into the incident while simultaneously prosecuting the teens in juvenile court, a situation the defense lawyers question for potential impartiality.
The protest involved approximately 35 students who initially planned a walkout to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies. School administrators initially approved the walkout but later withdrew permission due to safety concerns. The students, many of whom are students of color and children of immigrants, reportedly faced taunts and racial epithets from another group of students along their protest route.
Lawyers have indicated they will seek additional time to gather evidence, including video footage, for the case. One high school junior, who works two jobs, has been released on home confinement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What charges are the students facing?
The students are facing charges including simple assault, which has been elevated to aggravated assault, a felony, because the alleged victim is Police Chief Scott McElree.
Were any students still in custody as of Wednesday?
It was not immediately clear if the other two students, beyond those released Tuesday, remained in custody on Wednesday.
What prompted the student protest?
The students staged a walkout to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies.
As this case unfolds, it remains to be seen how the investigation will proceed and what consequences, if any, will be faced by those involved.
