Calls grow for Quakertown police chief to resign after clash during anti-ICE protest

Demands for accountability intensify through Quakertown, Pennsylvania, as the community reels from last month’s incident between high school students and police.

Two weeks ago, five teenagers were arrested after students and police clashed during an anti-ICE protest in Quakertown.

Videos circulating on social media showed the confrontations between the students and police officers. Another video shows a student being led away in handcuffs.

Another cellphone video shared with NBC10 showed a man in a brown shirt – identified as Quakertown Police Chief Scott McElree – in a fight while being surrounded by students. The video also showed a second officer bringing someone to the ground.

A student protest ended with officers assaulted and several teens taken into custody. NBC10’s Deanna Durante reports as videos show the chaos and aftermath. 

The students arrested, known as the Quakertown 5, are all out of detention, but NBC10 learned at least some of them are now forced back in school with a court-ordered ankle monitor as their case continues.

“Regardless of if they get cleared or not in this moment, there are still children being seen as perpetrators of violent crimes. They are children as young as 15, so what does it say to them when everyone that is supposed to be there to protect them is failing them,” said Upper Bucks United community organizer Laura Foster.

Foster has been speaking with the families affected and calling for change; some of those calls have seemingly been answered.

Tuesday night, the Quakertown Community School District board accepted the superintendent’s resignation. He had been on leave since before the incident and there’s no word on why he resigned.

Now there are new calls for McElree to be fired or to resign.

Even witnesses NBC10 spoke with, who feel police were doing their job, are wondering whether it’s best he step down.

“That’s their leader, and if the leader isn’t respected and the employees underneath them don’t feel as though they’re gonna gain the respect back, I think that would respectfully be a good thing to do for his whole team,” said Tiffany Keller, a Quakertown resident.

On Wednesday, March 4, community members and Upper Bucks United will return to the Quakertown Borough Council meeting for what they are calling Round 2, determined to renew their push for McElree’s removal.

Borough leaders wouldn’t speak about the case pending the investigation by the Bucks County District Attorney, but the borough solicitor confirmed McElree is out on workers’ comp leave as of Friday.

The Quakertown police chief was placed on workers comp leave one week after a scuffle broke out between students protesting ICE and officers. NBC10’s Matt DeLucia reports. 

Organizers said this highlights another needed change.

“To have these multiple roles is problematic even when Scott went and attacked the child he’s in plain clothes so the questions are was he acting as borough manager if acting as borough manager, you come in and all of a sudden, you’re assuming your role as police officer are you getting workers comp as a borough manager or as the police,” said Foster.