Pennsylvania Residents Criticize Police Response to Student ICE Protesters

Several juveniles detained for 4 days after clash with police at protest

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Residents in the Philadelphia suburb of Quakertown are calling for the police chief's resignation after a confrontation between police and high school students protesting immigration enforcement policies left several juveniles in custody for four days. Video shows an older man, identified as the police chief, approaching and grabbing a teenage girl during the protest.

Why it matters

The incident has raised concerns about the police's handling of the student protest and whether the detentions of the juveniles were justified. It highlights tensions around immigration enforcement policies and the right to free assembly and speech.

The details

The confrontation occurred when a group of high school students staged a walkout to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions. Police say the students became disruptive, throwing snowballs and damaging property. However, the ACLU argues the police should have facilitated the demonstration rather than confronting the students.

  • The incident occurred on Friday, February 24, 2026.
  • The students were detained throughout the weekend and again on Monday when a snowstorm closed county offices.
  • The students were due in juvenile court on Tuesday for bail hearings.

The players

Scott McElree

The 72-year-old Quakertown police chief and borough manager who was identified as the man in street clothes who approached and grabbed a teenage girl during the protest.

Joe Khan

The Bucks County District Attorney who is investigating the incident.

Witold Walczak

The legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania who criticized the police response, saying they failed to facilitate the students' constitutional rights to assemble and speak out.

Quakertown Community High School

The high school from which the student protesters staged a walkout.

Quakertown Borough

The Philadelphia suburb where the incident occurred, with a population of around 9,300 residents.

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What they’re saying

“In abandoning his job and his mission on Friday afternoon, Chief McElree effectively was acting as a counterprotester, albeit one with the ability to arrest people. Quakertown deserves better.”

— Witold Walczak, Legal Director, ACLU of Pennsylvania

“The police should have been there to facilitate the demonstration, ensuring that the students could safely exercise their rights to assemble and speak out freely as guaranteed by our Constitution. They failed.”

— Witold Walczak, Legal Director, ACLU of Pennsylvania

What’s next

The Bucks County District Attorney's Office is investigating the incident, and the students are due in juvenile court on Tuesday for bail hearings.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions around immigration enforcement policies and the right to free assembly and speech. It raises questions about the appropriate police response to student protests and whether the detentions of the juveniles were justified.