Contra Costa Student Walkouts To Protest Trump Election Lead To Arrests, School Lockdowns

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA – Antioch police arrested three Pittsburg High School students this morning during an anti-Donald Trump protest that ended up at Antioch High School, according to police.

The protest involved between 200 to 400 Pittsburg students who walked out of class and off campus with their principal this morning in protest of Trump being elected as the next U.S. president, according to
Antioch police.

The crowd headed through Century Plaza in Pittsburg and into Antioch on Auto Center Way and Sycamore Drive, blocking traffic as they went.

The protesters eventually ended up at Antioch High School, where they tried to convince students there to join them, police said.

The Antioch campus was placed on lockdown, but that didn't stop the protesters from knocking down fences and kicking over trash cans before leaving and heading toward Antioch Middle School, according to police.

Antioch Middle School, Fremont Elementary School and Live Oak High School were all placed on lockdown, although the protest never made it to those schools, police said.

"These Pittsburg High protesters continued to cause havoc on Antioch campuses and in the surrounding neighborhoods for over two hours," Antioch police said in a statement.

Of the three Pittsburg student arrests, one was for allegedly throwing a dangerous object at police, trespassing on school grounds and being a disruptive presence at school; one was for allegedly inciting a fight with another student, trespassing on school grounds and resisting a police officer; and one was for allegedly assaulting a police officer.

Most of the Pittsburg students eventually walked back to Century Plaza and some were rounded up and put onto buses to be driven back to their own campus, police said.

The action was just one of several anti-Trump high school student protests around the Bay Area today.

In Richmond, the California Highway Patrol closed the MacDonald Avenue off-ramp from eastbound Interstate Highway 80 as about 100 protesters tried to get onto the highway and block traffic, CHP spokesman Officer Sean Wilkenfeld said.

That group was part of a larger crowd of protesters that included around 1,000 students from Greenwood Academy, John F. Kennedy and Richmond high schools in Richmond and El Cerrito High School in El Cerrito, according to Richmond police spokesman Lt. Felix Tan.

Those students walked out of class after lunch and by about 3 p.m. were moving north on San Pablo Avenue toward the city of San Pablo. Tan said drivers should stay away from the area to avoid delays.

No violence or vandalism was reported during the Richmond protest.

The following statement was issued from Pittsburg Unified School District Superintendent, Janet Schulze:

"This Presidential election has been especially emotional. In dealing with differences and moving forward, we have to respect feelings and work in community. Today some of our high school students, like many across the Bay Area and country, organized, via social media, a peaceful protest and walk-out to protest the Presidential election.

"The District always prefers to have all students in class, however, we do understand some students are passionate about the recent election.

"Our staff and Pittsburg Police Department followed procedures to insure their safety, which is always a top priority. Some of the students returned to the high school and a group of approximately 200 students headed towards Antioch High School. The District informed Antioch High School and sent buses to pick up students outside Antioch High School.

"Unfortunately, a small number of the students were unresponsive to directives to return to school and get on the bus. Another group of students decided to walk back to the high school. Those situations will be managed on an individual basis and students will receive appropriate consequences for their behaviors.

"At this time, students have returned to school. We appreciate the professionalism and cooperation of the Antioch High School staff and the Antioch Police Department in working with us and the Pittsburg Police Department to insure all students remain safe."

ALSO SEE:

• Students From North Bay High Schools Stage Walkout Over President-Elect Trump
• Students At 3 East Bay High Schools Walk Out, Denounce President-Elect Trump

--Bay City News/File photo