Authorities are preparing to take action against a group of adults who participated in a large protest alongside hundreds of children against ICE and Donald Trump in Fresno County.
The Clovis Police Department stated that it plans to charge two individuals with misdemeanor offenses and is investigating others who may have been involved.
On Tuesday morning, over 200 students left their classrooms and marched to a key intersection carrying signs like “Colonists Can’t Decide Who Is Illegal.”
Surprising footage showed adults, some wearing keffiyeh, using megaphones to guide children and joining in the protest chants.
Some attendees waved Mexican flags and danced near oncoming traffic, leading children as they protested.
“During the protest, officers observed multiple adults actively encouraging and facilitating students to leave school without permission,” the Clovis Police Department remarked.
The police emphasized the seriousness of such actions, stating that adults who instigate truancy are compromising the education and safety of minors. They identified two adults already and are working to locate others, intending to file misdemeanor charges.
Under California law, aiding a minor in committing a crime can lead to penalties, including fines up to $1,000 or a year in jail.
Nevertheless, a parent whose child was involved claimed that these adults didn’t push the students to protest, asserting that the initiative originated from the children themselves via social media.
She remarked, “Let me be clear, the kids did this all on their own. There was nothing that would change their mind about this. We were there for our kids and for the other kids as well.”
Another individual, who chose to remain anonymous, confirmed participation in the protest but insisted her role was merely to ensure her children crossed the street safely.
This incident follows a wave of protests nationwide prompted by the deaths of individuals during encounters with ICE agents in separate incidents in Minnesota.
In response, ten Fresno County school superintendents sent an open letter over the weekend, urging parents to prevent their children from leaving school to take part in such demonstrations.
A spokesperson for Clovis Unified noted that the school administration was aware of the social media discussions surrounding the walkout and was coordinating with local law enforcement.
