Local News

MIAMI (CBS4) ― Nearly two dozen students arrested Friday after a melee at Miami Edison Senior High will appear before a judge in a special hearing on Monday.

Saturday, Miami-Dade Judge Barbara Areces released 18 of the 27 students arrested; 16 were given home detention pending Monday's hearing; the other two were released because of insufficient evidence. Areces also set bond for a pair of 18-year old students, but allowed them to enter a pre-trial monitoring program that would allow them to be released without posting any money. Eight other adult students bonded out early Saturday morning. Most of those taken into custody on Friday face a number of charges including resisting arrest and disturbing the peace.
 
Sunday, parents and students met behind closed doors with school officials and a neighborhood pastor, who said students were given a chance to vent and air their feelings about Friday's disturbance.

Students called upon State Attorney Kathy Fernandez Rundle to drop the felony charges against the students facing Monday court appearances.

Some students said they plan a pre-school protest Monday morning before those scheduled court appearances.

Attorneys with the Haitian Lawyers Association represented all
of the students for their initial appearances. Other legal groups
have joined the association to represent the students for no cost.

Friday, officers from three departments including the city of Miami and Miami-Dade police were called to the school, which is located at 6161 NW 5th Court in Miami, after a school police officer hit an emergency button and called for backup, saying students were 'rioting' at the school. The melee started shortly after 11 a.m. at lunch when students tried to stage a protest against the arrest Thursday of a student who had tangled with an assistant principal. Students claim they were attacked by police as they tried to stage a peaceful protest, but police say the students became unruly and attacked police officers, throwing chairs, bottles and books which prompted a massive response.

"We understand there was a disturbance between an administrator and a student, and later we understand the student attacked the administrator and also a school police officer," said Miami Dade Public Schools spokesman John Shuster."

"It sparked a chaotic scene inside, where several students started fighting with police officers," said Ignatius Carroll, a spokesman for Miami Fire Rescue.

"Police officers called for reinforcements, and Miami-Fire rescue responded. We did treat three officers with minor injuries and two students, one that kind of got some bumps and bruises as a result of the fight, and another one who got overly excited based on what happened here."

School officials say 27 students were arrested 15 males and 12 females, and ten officers were injured.

"They tried to stop our protest, and it's like don't we have the right to protest, don't we have our freedom of speech," said student Jensen Bolce, who said his hand was cut in 4 places when police forced him into a window. "Can't we say what we gotta say because they don't want to listen when well tell them that's not right how he just came out there and puts his hands on a student. So we're trying to protest and when ever when the police."

School police stationed at the high school saw the process and believed it was getting out hand, according to Miami Dade Schools Police commander Charles Hurley.

"We recognize student expression and the right to demonstrate and we will generally make those accommodations within reasonable conditions," Hurley said. "This certainly grew very unruly to the point that our police officers were being pelted with bottled and milk crates and books and all sorts of objects, and these are just officers assigned to the school, on an every day school resource officer basis."

As officers, some with dogs and others dressed in riot gear could be seen arriving at the school in what was a massive mobilization of police vehicles and rescue units, students say the officers inside the school prompted the fight with a heavy-handed attempt to halt their protest.

"The principal himself started grabbing on people, slamming people on the floor, using police brutality, police brutality, beating us, with sticks, tasering us, spraying pepper spray on us," said student Laniece Sands. "

"We are not N-----s in an alley."

A student named Julia said police officers appeared to be upset about students documenting the fight.

"And then when the students were there standing by trying to take pictures, of what was happening, you know what happened? You know what the police did? They started taking them and throwing them to the floor, because they didn't want us as students to voice our opinions, like we're nothing, like we're nobody," she said.

As the massive police response virtually blockaded the school, students could be seen hustled into police wagons in plastic cuffs as police struggled to get the situation under control.

Entrance and exit ramps to I-95, which is located near the school, were closed for a time as school officials put the campus on lockdown.

Anxious parents flocked to the school, only to be turned away for hours as school officials started a staged dismissal. Many tried to reach their child on cellphones, anxious about their safety.

"The students are fine," said Carroll. "All in all, don't come rushing out here because this area is somewhat cordoned off and if you need to get to your students, come in an orderly fashion, don't come rushing trying to get inside for your kids. All your kids are fine."

The situation was deemed 'under control' by police in about an hour.

Miami Dade Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew expressed appreciation to the police officers for controlling the situation, and said while the district supports free expression by students, "Misconduct by anyone, including students and staff, will not be tolerated."

Crew said he would monitor the situation, and promised school officials would meet with members of the community to resolve the issues which led to the protest.

(© MMIX CBS Television Stations. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report)

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