After five Quakertown teens were arrested during protest against ICE, petitioners call for the police chief to resign
An online petition is calling for the Quakertown Borough police chief to resign after videos emerged showing him scuffling with teenagers during a protest against ICE.
People are calling for the longtime Quakertown Borough police chief to resign, two days after videos emerged that appear to show him barreling into a crowd of teenagers, sustaining a barrage of punches, and grappling with a girl on the ground.
The incident happened Friday after about 35 Quakertown Senior High School students walked out of class to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The school initially approved the walkout but canceled it for safety reasons earlier that morning. Quakertown Borough Police said it arrested five students and one adult following a scuffle with officers.
Police Chief Scott McElree and the police department have not responded to requests for comment over the weekend. But as videos of the incident have spread online, demands for answers and accountability have grown. Community members held a rally outside the police department Saturday morning. Hours later, the office of Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan said that it is investigating the police response.
» READ MORE: Bucks County DA investigating after Quakertown police arrested high school students protesting ICE
As of Sunday afternoon, more than 4,000 people have signed a Change.org petition, “Demand Chief Scott McElree’s resignation.” It’s not clear how many of the signers are locals.
“The video made me cry,” wrote a petition signer identified as Karen. “I know every one of those children. They were taught to trust the police. They were also taught to fight back against an attacker.”
Karen and other petition signers noted that McElree was not wearing anything identifying himself as a police officer in the videos.
Another petition signer, identified as Sora from Quakertown, said the students should be held accountable for walking out of class. But that didn’t justify McElree’s response.
“This protest got violent because the chief [of] police chose to start the violence, the students were ready to defend because they have seen everything happening in other states with ICE,” the commenter said.
According to the Quakertown Borough website, McElree serves as chief of police, borough manager, and open records officer for the community. About 9,400 people live there, recent U.S. census numbers show. Quakertown is in northwest Bucks County about a half hour from Allentown.
McElree has served as both police chief and borough manager since 2007, according to news reports. He previously was a Whitemarsh Township police officer for about 30 years, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Contacted by phone Sunday, Quakertown Borough Council Member Michael Johnson said the council may discuss the matter at a work session set for Monday night at 7:30 p.m.
Johnson, who has earned accolades for his work as a local law enforcement officer, declined to say whether he was concerned about McElree.
“I’m going to wait to see all the video before I make any comments,” Johnson said.
Other council members and borough council president Donald E. Rosenberger did not respond to requests for comment Sunday.
Scant details are available about the teenagers’ status.
“These are juvenile arrests, and because of that, their files are shielded by the Pennsylvania Juvenile Act,” said Bucks County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Manuel Gamiz Jr.
Due to a major storm expected Sunday night, Gamiz noted, the Bucks County Justice Center is closed Monday.
That could potentially delay the students’ legal proceedings.