A student walkout protesting ICE in Chandler turned tense Friday afternoon when a girl ended up getting arrested after allegedly throwing a water bottle at a masked man.
During the march, officers were monitoring student safety near Hamilton High School when they observed a masked man with a weapon approach and verbally confront some demonstrators.
Related posts
According to police, during his verbal exchanges, a teen girl threw a water bottle at the man. He stated that he intended to press charges, so she was arrested on assault and disorderly conduct charges, cops said.
While he did nothing wrong, authorities stated that he was causing a difficult atmosphere for everyone and was requested to leave voluntarily. The man eventually agreed to go, and he was escorted by police.
During the march, a driver in a white SUV attempted to drive through an intersection that a large group of protesters had blocked while crossing the street.
According to authorities, the driver pushed past the gathering and continued driving. Following that, a motorcycle officer parked their bike in front of traffic before any further automobiles could enter the intersection, resulting in another risky situation.
“The Chandler Police Department respects the rights of all individuals to peacefully assemble. However, driving recklessly and throwing objects at individuals will not be tolerated, as these actions endanger the community and officers,” a police spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
Chandler police said they are seeking to identify the driver, and anyone with information regarding the SUV can call the department’s non-emergency line at 480-782-4130.
Also in the East Valley, two middle school pupils were arrested after police claimed they tossed objects at officers. However, the protests were mainly nonviolent.
