Man arrested, student cited after altercation at student protest in Grand Island

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — Police are investigating an altercation that happened during part of a student “walk-out” protest in Grand Island.

The incident happened just after 3:15 p.m. near West Lawn Elementary School. Grand Island Police Division Chief Dean Elliott says it involved Grand Island Senior High students who were protesting federal immigration policy and a 54-year-old Grand Island man. Elliot says investigators believe the man was driving by the protesters and yelled pro-ICE comments. The man told investigators that a student threw an object that hit him. Elliot says the man then parked his vehicle, chased down the student he believed threw the object and assaulted the student. Other students then jumped in and assaulted the man.

Video posted to social media from the scene shows a student on top of the man and another student who kicks the man. The man then gets up, grabs a student and throws a punch.

Elliot says officers arrested the man on suspicion of felony child abuse. Officers also cited at least one student for assault. Nobody involved required any medical treatment.

Police are not releasing the man’s name until he is formally charged.

Grand Island Public Schools Superintendent Matt Fisher says the protest started as a student “walk out” around 1:25 p.m. at the high school and involved around 150 students. He said that administration was aware of the planned demonstration and shared communication about expectations and absences with families, students, and staff multiple times leading up to it. The group was considerably smaller when the altercation occurred near West Lawn.

“We are disappointed that one small moment of this ‘walk-out’ demonstration ended in angry arguing and physical altercations,” Fisher said in a statement. “We as a community must remember that our students are watching us and that we are in the work of caring for each other together.“

Fisher said the district will continue to provide support services at the high school for any students impacted by the events at the protest.

“It is important for us to remember, our students – staff, families, and community members alike – all have lived experiences that shape who we are,” Fisher said. “Engaging in violent arguments does not solve our problems but rather amplifies them.  We wish better for our students and we wish better for our community.”

According to Elliott, the students initially traveled from the high school to the Five Points roundabout. Officers responded because some of the students had disrupted traffic. The students then continued walking through town and eventually ended up near West Lawn. Elliott says there weren’t any officers present when the altercation happened.

Grand Island Police are asking the public for any video of the incident. Investigators are also working with the school to check security video.

This is the second student protest that has led to criminal charges in the past month in Nebraska. The first occurred in Fremont and involved a collision between a vehicle and a student protester.