Police in Clovis and Fresno contrasted sharply last week in how they responded to recent anti-ICE protests that saw students walk off school campuses during class time by the hundreds.
In Clovis, police are pursuing misdemeanor charges against adults for allegedly contributing to the delinquency of minors. Police used sophisticated surveillance equipment to watch the protestors. They identified two adults who attended the protest organized by Clovis Unified students, and police are reviewing surveillance footage to identify more adults who could face charges.
In Fresno, police are not pursuing any charges against adults seen at protests organized by Fresno Unified students, though they say such cases are not off the table for them. And they did not actively initiate specialized surveillance of the events, even though they also have sophisticated equipment, such as drones.
Fresno police Lt. Larry Bowlan said officers have not observed any adults encouraging students to protest.
“We will take appropriate action with adults or juveniles when committing crimes, but each of these incidents is looked at individually and the appropriate course of action is taken based on whether or not the elements of a crime are met,” he said in an email to The Bee.
The intentional use of sophisticated surveillance in Clovis to record protestors and the decision possibly to charge some adults raised concerns among experts contacted by The Bee that police could be overstepping. One legal expert, however, stressed to The Bee that prompting students to skip school or otherwise break rules could be a serious matter and should not be taken lightly.
Bowlan said the main priority for Fresno police regarding the student walkouts is to “protect the safety of students and the public, especially on the roadways.” He said authorities will investigate any reports of people suspected of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and take legal action as necessary, like Clovis.
Fresno police have access to street, drone and body-worn cameras. The motorcycle officers seen accompanying students as they demonstrated were wearing actively-recording cameras, Bowlan said.
Bowlan said Fresno police do not have cameras in cruisers, however, and said no police drones were used to watch protests. He said Fresno’s 70 Flock system cameras are used for criminal investigations and may have recorded protests incidentally.
Clovis, Fresno school leaders observed adults stepping over line
Fresno-area school districts experienced several student walkouts in protest of ICE and President Trump’s mass deportation agenda in recent weeks, and school leaders have struggled to keep students, including those in middle-school grades, on campuses.
Clovis authorities said they saw adults encouraging protests earlier this week, which the department called “unacceptable.” However, adults who attended the protest said they were there to ensure student safety.
Fresno Unified Superintendent Misty Her said she observed adults handing students signs with profanity. She urged students to peacefully protest on campus, instead. She and Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto posted a joint message on social media with Spanish subtitles urging students to stay on campus for safety reasons and to protest in on-campus spaces.
“We ask that students, instead, use designated on-campus spaces to express their opinions in a safe and supervised environment,” Her said in a video message to district families. One campus, Computech Middle School, held an on-campus demonstration Thursday.
Superintendents from across the county urged parents in a joint letter to encourage students to remain on campus, though the walkouts continued last week. The administrators said student safety is important and that their safety cannot be guaranteed if kids leave or ditch school.
This story was originally published February 16, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
Merced Sun-Star
Reporter Thaddeus Miller has covered cities in the central San Joaquin Valley since 2010, writing about everything from breaking news to government and police accountability. A native of Fresno, he joined The Fresno Bee in 2019 after time in Merced and Los Banos.