Pennsylvania Students Arrested After Clash with Police Chief During Protest

Quakertown Students Detained for Days After Clash with Police. Chief’s Role Under Scrutiny

QUAKERTOWN, Pa. — Attorneys representing student protesters detained in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, for up to four days following a scuffle with police say their clients were unaware the man who intervened and allegedly choked a 15-year-old girl was the local police chief. The incident occurred during a protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies on February 20, 2026.

The lawyers contend the students from Quakertown Community High School acted in self-defense and will vigorously fight the charges against them, which include a simple assault charge elevated to aggravated assault – a felony – due to the alleged victim being Police Chief Scott McElree.

“He charged from his vehicle into the middle of this group of kids,” explained defense lawyer Donald Souders on Wednesday. “Many of the kids jumped in, in an attempt to defend her. They assumed that this was a counterprotester.”

According to the attorneys, McElree, 72, arrived in an unmarked car, without any identifying uniform or insignia, and did not identify himself as the police chief. Videos circulating on social media depict a physical altercation between students and officers during the protest.

McElree, who also serves as the borough manager, did not respond to messages left at his home and office on Tuesday, and Wednesday.

“My client was directly choked by the chief,” stated lawyer Timothy Prendergast, who represents the 15-year-old girl. “It was alleged that she had struck him, which she did not. They are innocent. They were exercising their First Amendment rights. The chief did not like that and acted outside of his authority.”

Prendergast’s client, along with at least two other students, were released on Tuesday, some with conditions including home confinement and ankle monitoring. The status of the remaining two students was unclear as of Wednesday. The lawyers have chosen not to publicly identify their clients, citing juvenile court confidentiality rules.

The incident has sparked calls for McElree’s resignation. Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan has launched an investigation, while simultaneously prosecuting the teens in juvenile court. The defense lawyers have raised concerns about Khan’s ability to remain impartial in both roles.

The protest began when approximately 35 students staged a walkout to demonstrate against ICE policies outside a bakery, roughly a half-mile from the high school. School administrators had initially met with the student protesters regarding the planned walkout but rescinded permission on Friday morning due to safety concerns, according to a statement from the acting superintendent.

Souders represents a 16-year-old boy whose eyeglasses were broken when he was knocked into a large planter by a uniformed officer during the confrontation. The boy reportedly spent the weekend attempting to remove glass particles from his eye and was seen by a nurse before his father took him to a hospital for further treatment after his release on Tuesday.

Defense lawyers also revealed that the students were reportedly taunted along the protest route by another group of students who allegedly yelled insults, including racial epithets, at them.

“Throughout the protest, the police were following from a distance,” Souders said. “Probably in hindsight, they should have interceded between the protesters and counterprotesters. They were saying really awful things to get the kids riled up.”

Souders’ client, a high school junior who works two jobs, was released on home confinement with an ankle monitor, allowing him to leave home for school, work, church, and other approved activities.

As juveniles, the teens are entitled to an adjudication hearing within 30 days – or 10 days if they remain in custody. However, the lawyers anticipate requesting additional time to gather video evidence and other materials for the case.

“This was an abomination of (police) escalation when it should have been a teaching moment for de-escalation,” said lawyer Ettore “Ed” Angelo, representing another 15-year-old girl who was charged and subsequently released.