Police say up to 100 students who walked out of class Friday to protest the shooting death of Trayvon Martin ransacked a nearby Walgreens drug store.
The North Miami Beach High students were walking peacefully before a group split off into the Walgreens at 163rd Street and 15th Avenue. Surveillance video shows the teens running through the aisles before a man identified as the school’s vice principal orders them to leave the store.
NBC Miami reports damage to merchandise is estimated at $150 and police are trying to determine if any items were stolen.
North Miami Beach Interim Police Chief Larry Gommer said in a statement that “criminal acts” would not be tolerated during protests:
“Our police department fully understands that our country was founded on free speech and we agree that all people have a right to peacefully march in protest. We will even help with law enforcement duties to facilitate such orderly demonstrations. However, criminal acts will not be tolerated. This instance crossed that line, and will not be tolerated now or in the future. We all understand that this is a very emotional issue but when our businesses or our community are negatively impacted by anyone breaking a law, we will enforce those laws without question.”
Angered by a lack of charges against the self-professed neighborhood watchman who shot the unarmed Dr. Krop student on February 26 and the circumstances leading the man to determine the teen was “suspicious,” North Miami Beach students were among those at more than a dozen schools in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties who participated in walk outs in honor of Trayvon Martin last week.
Article Courtesy of The Huffington Post
