4 Students Accused of Trying to Incite Riot

Four La Habra High School students were arrested Friday on suspicion of trying to incite a riot after they staged a demonstration to protest their suspensions, authorities said.

Students and school officials said three of the four male students who were arrested were moshing, or slam dancing, during an assembly in the gymnasium where a rap band was performing. The dancers were told to stop and leave the gym but refused.

Principal Patricia Howell called the dancing, which involves slamming bodies together, “inappropriate behavior.” The dancing trio was escorted out of the gym and taken to an administrator’s office where a fourth student arrived to protest. All were suspended, she said.

Once they were suspended, they were not allowed to be on campus and were asked to leave, Howell said. Instead, the four rallied about 100 classmates from classes in session and staged a demonstration on campus, students said.

When 10 police officers arrived, someone in the crowd threw a bottle at them, Sgt. Phil Stufflebean said. The four suspended students--an 18-year-old, two 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old--were then arrested on suspicion of trying to incite a riot and trespassing,

Most of the student protesters went back to class, but about 45 left campus, school officials said.

One student, Stephen Reifenstein, 18, said he was protesting because the suspensions “were bogus. They didn’t do anything wrong.”

Several other students agreed.

“I watched the whole thing and (the four male students who were arrested) were just dancing like everybody else,” said Meghan Sweet, 16, who participated in the walkout. “I think it’s pretty sad to see kids get suspended and then arrested just for dancing. It’s totally unfair.”

Howell said she has a list of those who participated in the demonstration and will hold conferences with each of them. Their parents will be notified.