Quakertown, about 40 miles north of Philadelphia, became the center of a dispute after high school protesters were detained following a Feb. 20 scuffle that defense lawyers said erupted during an immigration-focused demonstration, according to court proceedings described by the Associated Press. On March 20, Pennsylvania juvenile court handled multiple parts of the cases, including probation proceedings and requests to delay or dismiss charges tied to the incident involving police chief Scott McElree.
A lawyer for one 15-year-old girl, Ettore “Ed” Angelo, told the court that the teens were persecuted for protesting and speaking their minds, calling that response “absolutely shameful.” Angelo’s client was among the teens detained for several days and later placed under conditions that included house arrest and ankle monitors, AP reported. Her hearing came as prosecutors and defense attorneys continued sorting through juvenile allegations stemming from the same confrontation.
Three other Quakertown teens had their juvenile court hearings delayed Friday in suburban Bucks County, according to AP. A fifth teen’s lawyer asked that assault charges be dropped entirely, while the defense said it needed more time to investigate before considering any settlement offers. AP reported that the fifth case involved assault allegations tied to McElree’s actions during the melee and that the police chief remained the named victim in the juvenile matters while county investigators reviewed the police response.
Angelo’s comments came as the case drew wider attention in the community, including fiery town meetings and online petitions calling for McElree to resign. The dispute intensified after video captured during the protest spread online, AP said, and McElree, who also serves as borough manager, went on medical leave. District Attorney Joe Khan’s office said its investigation of the police response was ongoing, AP reported through a spokesperson.
According to AP, McElree rushed into an altercation that involved teens gathered outside a bakery, after students began a one-mile loop through town following a school-canceled walkout. The teens had planned a walkout against U.S. immigration enforcement policies, and AP reported that defense attorneys said they were followed by other students in cars who harassed them. AP said the teens were then confronted when McElree, in street clothes, entered the fray and that some protesters fought as he placed his arm around another student’s neck and fell with her to the ground.
The juvenile charges included felony assault because of McElree’s position, along with lesser charges, AP reported. AP also said the teens were placed on house arrest with ankle monitors for about a month after spending four to eight days in detention. Defense lawyers said most of the detained teens were children of color, and one attorney described broken glasses and time in detention as part of the consequences of the confrontation.
In a separate outcome, a 15-year-old boy whose name was not made public entered a probation track that would allow the arrest to be expunged if he completes six months of probation, AP reported. His lawyer, Donald Souders, said the teen is an American child of immigrants and hopes to serve in the military, and Souders described the incident as reflecting divisions in American society. Souders also argued that police did not de-escalate as the situation escalated and did nothing to stop alleged harassment by opposing students, AP reported.
As the court schedule moved forward, the investigation remained a central thread. McElree had not returned messages left by AP at his home and office, and his lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment, AP reported. The separate handling of multiple juvenile cases, including probation and delayed hearings, underscored how the criminal allegations and the broader questions about police response were being separated into different procedural tracks—while residents continued to press for consequences.