Quakertown students involved in clash with police at ICE protest appear in court

QUAKERTOWN, PA. - Five Quakertown High School students involved in a clash with police during an anti-ICE protest last month appeared in court Friday, as new developments continue to draw national attention.

All five students are now off house arrest, and ankle monitors previously ordered for at least one juvenile have been removed, according to their attorneys. One of the five students had all charges dropped after accepting a deal from the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office in exchange for six months of probation.

Attorneys representing the students described the incident as "traumatic" and maintain that the teens should not have been charged in the first place. They argue that at least one student—allegedly placed in a chokehold—was acting in self-defense.

"We still believe she is a victim and not an aggressor," one attorney said, who represents the teenager involved in the chokehold incident.

The remaining four students are scheduled to return to court next month. 

The backstory:

Over two dozen students left Quakertown High School’s campus on Feb. 20 as part of a planned anti-ICE protest.

The group moved through Quakertown along a route that had not been coordinated with school officials. A confrontation with police followed, much of it captured on video, leading to the arrests of five students.

Controversy erupted after Quakertown Police Chief Scott McElree, dressed in plainclothes and arriving in an unmarked vehicle, intervened in the protest and allegedly put a 15-year-old student in a chokehold.

Students and their attorneys say no one realized he was a police officer at the time.

"We’ve all seen the video. None of these kids knew who this gentleman was," one attorney said, calling the situation a case of self-defense.

Previously, a student protester described the confusion: "Nobody knew it was a policeman…we were just like, ‘Why is this man attacking us?’" 

Police response

In earlier statements, Quakertown police said the protest began peacefully but escalated when some participants engaged in disruptive and unsafe behavior.

Authorities allege that some students assaulted officers, prompting police intervention.

Ongoing questions and protests

The police chief involved in the incident is currently on paid leave, and an investigation into his actions remains ongoing. However, attorneys say they have received little information about the status of that investigation.

Families and supporters gathered outside court during Friday’s hearing, continuing to protest the students’ arrests and calling for accountability.

What's next:

While one student’s case has been resolved, the legal process continues for the remaining four.

Their next court appearance is scheduled for April 14.