Education

Student Charged With Battery After Punching Boy Holding Trump Sign

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Amber Randall Civil Rights Reporter
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Police arrested a Florida high school student after he punched a classmate who was carrying a Trump sign at school Wednesday afternoon.

A 17-year-old student at Bayside High School, reportedly punched a fellow classmate over his pro-Trump sign, reports WKMG Orlando.

“It definitely had a political motivation. The boy was carrying a Trump sign and walked into the gym. The other boy punched him in the face,” Lt. Mike Bandish, spokesman for the Palm Bay Police Department, said.

The student has since been charged with felony battery, resisting without violence and disrupting an educational facility.

After punching the pro-Trump student, the 17 year old was taken to the dean’s office. A school resource officer showed up to the office to try and calm him, an affidavit revealed.

The student refused to calm down, despite the officer’s efforts to reassure him. The student allegedly put his middle finger in the officer’s face and began tearing apart the office, the affidavit maintained.

“When I see that white boy again, I’m going to punch him in his face,” the student declared, according to the affidavit.

The student left the office and when he came back, he saw the pro-Trump student again. He cursed at him and stood in a “menacing fashion,” according to the affidavit. A school official attempted to stop the student, but he shoved her aside.

The officer eventually grabbed the student in a bear hug in order to put handcuffs on him. The officer was injured during the arrest and was placed on leave while he recovers.

“Whether the boy was a Bernie (Sanders) or Hillary supporter I don’t know. Emotions are high and the school resource officer did the best he could to de-escalate the situation,” Bandish said.

The teen was placed in the Juvenile Detention Center.

“The other kid was exercising his free speech. But none of these kids can vote. And while it’s good to be involved in politics we cannot condone violence,” Bandish said.

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