A protest against gun violence at Fort Worth’s Eaton High School devolved into chaos on Tuesday as students clashed over the Confederate flag, racism and gun rights.
About 100 of the school’s roughly 1,603 students took part in the walkout, which was organized by students in concert with administrators to highlight gun violence in schools and honor those killed during a February school shooting at Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the Star-Telegram reports.
But when students moved from the student union to an outdoor courtyard for a moment of silence, things turned ugly as two teens – a white male and black female – tussled over a Confederate flag.
Witnesses contend several students displayed the Confederate flags, American flags, and “Don’t Tread on Me” Gadsden flags, in opposition to the protest’s anti-gun message.
One student video of the melee shows a black female student who apparently snatched one of the Confederate flags, then stomped on it as she proclaimed “we don’t stand for this here.”
“We don’t stand for racism!” she yelled, as a white male student attempted to wrest the flag away.
Immediately after, several other black female students rushed the white male, screaming in his face as a school official intervened.
“Oh, God, I don’t think this is a good idea for this school,” a student filming the video exclaimed.
Other student videos showed other skirmishes broke out in the large crowd of students as dozens of others recorded the melee with their cell phones.
“This was supposed to be a peaceful walkout to pay homage to shooting victims, but racists care so much about their guns that they can’t even lone let dead people have a moment,” one of the student protestors posted to Instagram with a video of the ordeal. “4+ fights broke out during this moment of ‘silence.’”
Fort Worth police spokesman Daniel Segura acknowledged the clash as “a student assembly that apparently got very vocal,” but said there were no injuries or arrests.
Yes I stood on the confederate flag and my only regret is that I don’t moonwalk on it.
— Dani🌿 (@danialexuss) April 18, 2018
School officials contend they’re investigating the incident.
“Today, a student-led event took place at Eaton High School, with the purpose to honor the students who lost their lives in Florida. Administration appreciates that students came directly to them ahead of time to ensure the event could be managed as safely as possible,” the Northwest school district said in a statement.
“Approximately 100 students participated. During the event, differences of opinions were expressed. Administration at the campus is addressing any concerns students have as well as any disciplinary issues.”
The protest is the latest in a wave of student walkouts following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas that left 17 people dead. Jordan Vine, the Eaton student who organized the event Tuesday, was among a hoard of North Texas anti-gun activists who participated in the recent March For Our Lives in Fort Worth.
More events aimed at restricting gun ownership in the name of school safety are scheduled for later this week to capitalize on the anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre, a 1999 school shooting that left 15 – including two student shooters – dead.
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