Quakertown emails detail ICE protest threat, defend police action

Emails from Quakertown Community School District, the police department, and the borough council reveal more of what town leaders were saying and doing before and after the student walkout that led to a police confrontation and student arrests.

The Feb. 20 high school walkout to protest immigration control policies ignited outrage after viral videos showed about a dozen students fighting with borough police Chief Scott McElree, who charged into the crowd dressed in plainclothes and put one student in a chokehold during the melee. Several students were arrested and charged, and McElree remains out on workers’ compensation after reportedly being injured in the clash.

Emails to and from the police chief, obtained through a Right to Know request, in the days after the walkout mirror the division and anger that has permeated among residents. In some, the chief expresses an idea shared by many people who approved of his actions: that the chief’s supporters are local, and his critics are outsiders.

The police chief has not returned multiple requests for comment since the walkout.

Quakertown chief defends use of force after walkout

On the Monday after the walkout, McElree emailed his officers and defended the use of force, noting that the borough had requested that the district attorney investigate the police handling of the walkout. “I have no doubt that it will be conducted professionally and the truth will be revealed,” McElree wrote, referring to the student protesters as “young adults.”

“Our police department is extremely professional and we do things right. I had the misfortune to get assaulted by up to seven perpetrators at one time…As I know we all are on the same page, I was very (aware) that the level of force I used would be appropriate for young adults. We did not use chemicals, tasers, impact weapons, or closed fists. That goes to the level of our discipline.”

Quakertown school, police emails shed new light on reported threat

Emails from McElree and the school district also provided more details about the leadup to the walkout. Hours before the walkout, Quakertown administrators received a tip about a potential threat and moved quickly to cancel the event and notify the school community, emails show.

The high school principal received an anonymous tip under a state program known as “Safe 2 Say” via email at 10:14 p.m. on Feb. 19. Since Safe 2 Say tips are confidential, the details were redacted in emails obtained via a Right to Know request.

However, McElree wrote to borough council shortly after the walkout that there had been a threat that “a person with a gun was planning on shooting the protestors,” according to the emails.

School administrators began discussing the threat late Thursday, Feb. 19.

Quakertown chief floated criminal charges for school board over walkout

In emails after the walkout, McElree speculates that the school board was involved in the walkout — a suspicion he shared with his officers.

“We’re investigating. I heard a rumor that the Scool Board president was behind this. We’ll find out!” McElree wrote to borough council shortly after his fight with students on Feb 20.

Later that night, he told his officers that the school board may be to blame for the incident.

“We will pursue every offender and charge them with the appropriate crimes, even if includes school board members who were enticing the students to protest and riot,” McElree wrote.

No charges have been filed against the Quakertown school board president or any board member in the incident.

School board President David O’Donnell said Mar. 27 that the board had no role in the walkout. “None,” O’Donnell said. “We were aware that a walkout was planned by the students, that’s it.”

Of the five students who were charged, one has had felony charges dropped and accepted a probation deal that would expunge his misdemeanors in six months without admitting any guilt. The other four cases remain active and include charges for felony aggravated assault.

No one else has been charged.

After walkout, Quakertown police chief warns officers of ‘evil sect’

In the same email the night of Feb. 20, hours after the confrontation, McElree warned his officers that he expects “the evil sect of society will make every attempt to pose their ignorance and bias.”

McElree did not elaborate on “the evil sect.”

In addition to angry messages after the walkout, the police department received notes from people checking on McElree’s health and expressing support for the chief.

“This is what matters,” McElree wrote to borough council on Feb. 24. “Not radicalized hateful people not from our community.”

The same day, the chief received a supportive email from a man who introduced himself as an ex-Marine and whose name and professional details match a veteran in Florida. He used explicit language to describe his views, and this news organization has edited those words and phrases out for publication.

“I have NEVER felt shame to be an American until these leftist[s] … escaped the asylums,… and voluntarily lobotamized themselves,” the Florida veteran wrote.

“These [expletives] want to identify as a law abiding citizen while contributing to the delinquency, illegal assembly, truancy, and stupidity of delinquents, all while damaging the ability to learn, safety, and general camraderie of the kids whom were raised properly. The kids and the parents (especially the parents) should be held accountable for ALL. If that requires hands on…then go hands on,” it read in part. A “90lb … teen thinks he can physically resist and assult ANYBODY then they should be extremely happy they arent requiring extensive dental surgery.”

“Thank you brother,” McElree replied. “I’ll share this email with the other officers involved.”