During a student-led walkout protesting federal immigration arrests Monday, three students from East Aurora High School were taken into custody for allegedly resisting an officer, obstructing and improper walking in the roadway, according to an Aurora Police Department release.

But videos of a skirmish between police and protesters – including one appearing to show an officer running at and tackling a person – have one state senator and some residents questioning the police’s tactics.

Among the three male juveniles who were cited, one of the students also “punched an officer in the head” and was also charged with aggravated battery, according to police.

The Aurora Police Department released a statement following the walkout they said involved around 1,500 students from several area high schools. The police department said the officer who was punched was transported to a local hospital for medical attention for his injuries.

Videos captured at the scene by protesters appears to show a police officer tackling one of the students to the ground after a running start. The student is then held down by multiple officers; it is then that another student appears to throw a punch while trying to get the officers off the pinned-down student.

Another video taken by a protester appears to show one officer kneeling on the back of a student and another officer dragging a student on the ground across the pavement.

When reached for comment regarding the videos, Aurora police said the incident will be reviewed thoroughly, including available video and documentation. Officials said the department remains committed to “transparency [and] accountability.”

“The videos current circulating publicly represent only a brief excerpt from a nearly two-hour-long incident,” Aurora police Public Information Officer Jim Levicki said. “While the walkout initially began as a peaceful protest, which we fully respect and recognize as a protected form of expression, the situation later escalated in ways that created public safety concerns.”

Around, 11:50 a.m., the police department deployed officers throughout the city regarding the student walkouts coordinated across several local schools on Feb. 9, according to a post by the police department.

The police department officials said they worked with school administrators to “encourage students to remain in class or return to campus” and “provided repeated verbal direction intended to keep participants out of traffic and reduce the potential for conflicts or unsafe conditions.”

According to police, some of the protesters began “disregarding officers’ directions by entering traffic lanes, blocking vehicles, and walking into oncoming traffic.”

The police department said “fights broke out within the group” and “water bottles were thrown at police vehicles.” The police also said reckless driving activity emerged where the students had gathered.

Levicki said at this point, “enforcement actions were determined to be necessary to restore safety and prevent further harm. These decisions were not made lightly and were based on the totality of circumstances unfolding over an extended period of time.”

This is when officers “made contact with two individuals whose actions were contributing to the unsafe conditions,” according to the police department’s post.

The police department said when officers attempted to detain the individuals, “resistance occurred and both were taken into custody.”

This appears to be the moments leading up and during the captured videos by protesters.

The police department said the officer who sustained a punch from the intervening student suffered a laceration.

“While we recognize and support every individual’s right to protest, the Aurora Police Department reminds those exercising these rights that they must still comply with the laws in place to keep everyone safe and to allow for peaceful, meaningful dialogue,” the police department posted online. “Actions that place others in danger are not acceptable, and the Aurora Police Department remains committed to maintaining safety and order for all residents of our city.”

Community members call for accountability

Some attending protesters and local immigrant groups have taken issues with the department’s actions.

“Our kids have the right to protest without attacks,” Cristobal Cavazos, of Immigrant Solidarity DuPage, said. “We want the police chief fired and the attacking officers. The Aurora PD has a long history of racist repression on Latinos.”

The immigrant advocacy group was planning a protest Tuesday evening in front of the Aurora Police Department organizers were calling “Hold Aurora Police Accountable,” with a tagline reading “Keep your hands off our kids.”

Several residents posted on the Aurora Police Department’s Facebook page questioning the department’s justification for the crackdown.

One wrote, “you should mention that the punch was provoked by the officer body slamming a child, who was on the sidewalk and already being held by two officers.”

Another member of the public claimed that her son was tackled and broke his hand. Shaw Local has sought to verify the claim.

Another resident’s comments said she “never in my life disagreed with APD” but that video of the police officers’ actions made her cry.

State Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, described the incident as “police brutality.” and said the students’ right to protest was met with “force and violence by the institution entrusted with their safety.”

“The videos circulating of minors being restrained and handled like criminals in front of their peers are deeply disturbing and unacceptable,” Villa said in a statement. “Police officers are responsible for protecting every member of our community, especially children.”

Villa said she stands with the residents demanding accountability and for the charges against the students harmed to be dropped. She called for a transparent investigation on the actions taken by the police.

Villa said she is working with state officials, including the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, and local leaders to insure the incident is addressed.