‘Quakertown 5' fallout sparks protest at borough meeting
Residents and advocates in Bucks County are demanding accountability from local officials following the so-called “Quakertown 5” ICE protest incident.
During a borough town hall meeting, protesters gathered with signs calling for action after five Quakertown High School students were arrested in February.
The arrests happened when an anti-ICE protest escalated into a physical altercation with police.
“There isn’t a lot of hope this council is going to do anything. If they were going to do something, they would have done something by now,” Laura Foster of Upper Bucks United said.
The incident gained widespread attention after a viral video showed what appeared to be Quakertown Police Chief Scott McElree getting into an altercation with demonstrators while he was wearing in plain clothes.
Since the protest, McElree has remained on workers’ compensation leave.
“I want actual consequences for a man putting hands on a minor who was practicing her first amendment right,” protester Jenna Gold said.
Recently, the Quakertown solicitor released a report requested by the Police Chiefs Association of Bucks County. The report concluded that police actions were “consistent with established training.”
That finding has sparked further backlash with community members raising concerns about the transparency and independence of the investigation.
“I think it was a bias report,” said Zachary Coehler, a parent in the Quakertown School District.
The report includes four recommendations for future situations:
- Officers should have their badge or other markings displayed during interactions
- Similar protests should be equipped with “arrest teams”
- Use body worn cameras
- Establish a public relations plan for when incidents “garner significant interests, opinions, and media coverage.”
Coehler said he and his wife saw the students after the protest and are now calling for answers from the district attorney.
“We want to hear from the D.A. I voted for Joe Kahn,” he said.
“I not only want him to get fired, I want him to get prosecuted,” Gold added.
The incident remains under investigation by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
NBC10 reached out for comment but has not yet heard back.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.
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