Texas Man Faces Assault Charges After Confrontation with Student Protesters
A 45-year-old man from Texas has been arrested on assault charges following a physical altercation with high school students who participated in a walkout protest against immigration enforcement policies. The incident occurred in Buda, Texas, where students from Moe and Gene Johnson High School staged a peaceful demonstration earlier this week.
Confrontation Escalates During Peaceful Protest
According to law enforcement officials and video evidence posted online, the protest was largely peaceful until a verbal confrontation developed between an adult male in a vehicle and a female juvenile on the sidewalk. The situation quickly escalated when the man, identified as Chad Michael Watts, exited his vehicle and engaged physically with the student.
Multiple videos circulating on social media show Watts holding what appears to be a red hat while challenging students, some of whom were carrying signs with messages such as "ICE out." The footage captures the moment when Watts pushed the female student to the ground, prompting other students to intervene.
Police Investigation Identifies Primary Aggressor
The Buda Police Department conducted a thorough investigation into the incident and determined that Watts was the primary aggressor in the physical altercation. He was arrested nearly a day after the confrontation and charged with two counts of assault causing bodily injury.
Both Watts and the juvenile girl sustained minor injuries during the scuffle, but neither required emergency medical services at the scene. The Hays County District Attorney's office is also investigating the matter, with the possibility of additional charges being filed against Watts.
Official Statements Condemn Adult Violence Against Minors
In a statement addressing the incident, the Hays County District Attorney emphasized the responsibility of adults to exercise restraint, particularly when interacting with minors. "No matter one's political views, an adult bears a clear responsibility to exercise restraint, especially in the presence of children," the statement read. "Violence or intimidation directed at a minor – particularly during a lawful, peaceful demonstration – has no place in a constitutional republic that depends on the rule of law rather than force."
Broader Context of Nationwide Student Walkouts
The protest in Buda was part of a series of nationwide student walkouts organized in opposition to the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement operations. These demonstrations have sparked significant political debate across Texas and beyond.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has criticized school officials in the Austin Independent School District, accusing them of imposing a "radical political agenda" on students who planned the walkouts. Meanwhile, Texas Governor Greg Abbott condemned the protests as "disruptive" and suggested that school staff could be treated as "co-conspirators" in what he described as criminal behavior.
Governor Abbott further stated, "We are also looking into stripping the funding of schools that abandon their duty to teach our kids the curriculum required by law." However, law enforcement officials clarified that unrelated arrests of two juveniles in Hays County for alcohol possession and resisting arrest had no connection to the protest activities.
The incident in Buda highlights the tensions surrounding immigration policy debates and the appropriate boundaries for civil discourse, particularly when minors are involved in lawful demonstrations.
