One arrested after altercation among student protesters at Olathe high school
Four students were injured following a “physical disturbance” at a student-led protest near an Olathe high school Friday, resulting in one juvenile’s arrest.
Officers with the Olathe Police Department were called to the area of College Boulevard and South Lone Elm Road, near Olathe Northwest High School, just after 2 p.m. Friday, Sgt. John Moncayo, a spokesperson for the department, said in a press release Monday.
Officers were advised that a student-led protest escalated into a “physical disturbance,” Moncayo said. Several officers responded to the area regarding the incident.
Following a preliminary investigation, a juvenile male was taken into custody, Moncayo said. Investigators are continuing to identify and contact individuals who may have been involved in the incident.
Four students were injured as a result of the altercation, Moncayo said in an email to The Star Monday afternoon.
“The Olathe Police Department supports the community’s right to engage in peaceful protest and lawful assembly,” Moncayo said. “We are committed to protecting those rights while also ensuring public safety. Violence, property damage, or threats to people will be addressed appropriately to protect the community.”
Altercation occurred between two different demonstration groups, principal says
Olathe Northwest High School Principal Chris Zuck alerted students, staff and faculty about the student-organized walkout last Thursday, the principal said in an email sent Sunday regarding the incident.
At the time, Zuck said, administrators were unaware that “a small group of students had planned a separate student-led demonstration, which represented their voice and is also protected by their constitutional rights.”
The physical disturbance occurred between the two groups during the walkout, Zuck said. The district’s “Safety Services team” and the Olathe Police Department worked together to stop the incident.
In the email, Zuck said walkouts at the school are not sponsored, organized or endorsed by school staff.
“As previously shared, staff members do not participate in walkouts but observe from a short distance to help ensure student safety,” Zuck said. “When students leave campus, however, we cannot guarantee supervision.”
The school has been working closely with law enforcement to investigate the situation and identify any students that may have been involved, Zuck said.
“Let me be clear: while we value our students’ perspectives and recognize their constitutional right to participate in peaceful demonstrations, we do not tolerate violence,” Zuck said. “When behavior crosses that line, it becomes a disciplinary matter, and there will be serious consequences in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct.”
Zuck said that while he couldn’t share “specific consequences for individual students,” that consequences would be as “serious as they are for any altercation that happens.”
At the end of the email, Zuck alerted families to a social media post indicating a second student-led demonstration may be held on Wednesday.
The incident is still under investigation, Moncayo said. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the Olathe Police Department at 913-971-6363 or the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).
