A student demonstration against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Poston Junior High in Mesa ended with two arrests on Friday, according to local authorities.
The walkout, part of a broader series of anti-ICE protests across roughly 30 Valley schools, was intended to be a peaceful display of solidarity. However, Mesa police reported that two students allegedly threw objects at officers during the event.
Police spokesperson Jose Aguirre said one of the students, a girl, was taken into custody and booked into a juvenile detention center after she was seen throwing items and allegedly assaulting an officer. “An officer placed her on the ground to gain control,” Aguirre said, emphasizing that the officer did not tackle her. The second student was released but will be referred to the county’s juvenile court.
In a statement issued later that day, the Mesa Police Department reaffirmed its support for peaceful protest but stressed that endangering public safety would not be tolerated. “Reckless driving, traffic obstruction, and throwing objects at officers will not be tolerated,” the department said, noting that vehicles used in such behavior could be impounded for 20 days.
The incident occurred as students across the Valley took part in a coordinated walkout movement opposing ICE operations and broader immigration enforcement practices. Similar demonstrations were reported at campuses throughout the region and continued at the State Capitol later in the day.
No further details about the Mesa arrests have been released.
