WINTERS, Calif. — A student walkout at Winters High School and Winters Middle School protesting federal immigration enforcement escalated Tuesday after anti-trans activist Beth Bourne inserted herself into the demonstration, prompting an altercation that is now under investigation by local police.
Students left campus during fourth period on Feb. 17 to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and related federal immigration policies. Winters Police Department said it was aware of the planned event in advance and coordinated with Winters Joint Unified School District officials to monitor the demonstration.
In a public message, Chief John P. Miller said school staff accompanied students during the walkout while police monitored the event to ensure safety.
“On Tuesday, February 17th, students from the Winters High School and Winters Middle School walked off campus to protest federal immigration enforcement,” Miller wrote. “Winters Police Department became aware of the event prior and coordinated with Winters Joint Unified School District personnel. WJUSD staff accompanied the students and WPD personnel monitored to ensure the students were safe as they exercised their First Amendment rights.”
Miller said he was present throughout the event.
“I was present during the entire event, exiting my vehicle several times along the route to engage directly with students and staff,” he wrote. “WJUSD staff did an excellent job, and the students followed direction of staff and were well-behaved until a counter-protestor arrived at Rotary Park holding a ‘Trump Vance’ sign, exercising her First Amendment right.”
That counter-protestor was later identified as Beth Bourne, who has previously appeared at protests in Yolo County and surrounding areas.
According to Miller, tensions escalated after students confronted Bourne at Rotary Park.
“An altercation occurred when students physically pulled the counter-protesters sign from her, then apparently pulled the counter-protestor off the platform that she was standing on,” Miller wrote. “The students began converging on the counter-protestor and police personnel moved into the crowd to create a space between the counter-protestor and the students. Students then began throwing water bottles, cans, cups, and signs at the counter-protester, striking her as well as police officers.”
Police escorted Bourne from the park at her request.
“The counter protestor was escorted out of Rotary Park by police upon her request; however, a rumor started that she was in the Putah Creek Cafe and students started moving towards the Cafe,” Miller wrote. “School staff intercepted the students and redirected them.”
Miller said a high school student reported being struck during the confrontation, and Bourne also reported being assaulted.
“A high school student reported that she was struck by the counter-protestor during this altercation and the counter-protestor also reported she was assaulted,” Miller wrote. “A criminal report was generated, and we have seen several videos of the counter-protestor being assaulted but have not received any video of the student being assaulted. We are asking for anyone with video evidence of this to forward it to the Winters Police Department at tips.winters@winterspolice.org.”
According to police, the incident did not end at the park.
“Prior to leaving town, the counter-protestor stopped her vehicle at Grant and Railroad and re-engaged with the students,” Miller wrote. “A traffic stop was initiated for her stopping her vehicle in the roadway and the students started approaching the car stop; however, the students followed law enforcement direction to stay away from the stop. The driver was given a verbal warning for the traffic violation.”
Miller said he was proud of the students for exercising their rights, but criticized the escalation.
“I was proud of the way the students comported themselves exercising their First Amendment rights until they failed to respect someone else’s First Amendment right,” he wrote. “Further, falling victim to a ‘mob’ mentality and assaulting her and the police officers that were there to protect them was unacceptable. I urge all parents to have a discussion with their children about their rights and responsibilities as members of our community and to encourage them to respect other’s rights, even if their opinion differs from yours.”
Bourne posted her own account of the event on social media, stating: “Today I drove to a nearby town, Winters California. Students from both Winters High School and Winters Middle School were walking off campus during 4th period class time to protest federal immigration enforcement (ICE). I stood on a raised platform and held a sign that said ‘Trump-Vance 2024 – Make Women Female Again.’ I was attacked, bottles and cans thrown at me, and my signs were stolen. I am posting video in next 30 minutes. A kind male high school student also captured the moment my signs were stolen. Another courageous female student tried to escort me out of the mob.”
She denied allegations that she instigated violence or struck a student.
“They are trying to say I ‘activated’ these kids to become violent and that I deliberately hit a student with my elbow, which of course isn’t true,” she wrote.
The incident quickly drew commentary online, including criticism of Bourne’s decision to appear at a student-led protest.
One Facebook commenter wrote: “These people are angry at what the administration is doing and you are giving them a target and focus point for their anger. You are putting salt on a wound and then wondering why they are getting further riled up. You either have no idea about how people are or you know exactly how they are and are wanting to get hurt for more attention. Either way it’s not respectful to yourself to insight violence and then put yourself in harm’s way like that. One day I hope you learn to respect and love yourself more.”
Police said the investigation remains ongoing and encouraged anyone with video footage of the altercation to submit it to the department.
The walkout reflects a broader wave of student protests across California and the country in response to renewed federal immigration enforcement actions. Tuesday’s events in Winters, however, underscore how quickly tensions can escalate when counter-protesters enter youth-led demonstrations.
Follow the Vanguard on Social Media – X, Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe the Vanguard News letters. To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit davisvanguard.org/donate or give directly through ActBlue. Your support will ensure that the vital work of the Vanguard continues.
“Miller said a high school student reported being struck during the confrontation, and Bourne also reported being assaulted.”
Apparently there’s actual video of Beth Bourne being attacked. As far as I know there’s no video of Bourne striking anyone. Beth Bourne has 1st Amendment rights and shouldn’t have been assaulted. Why no arrests?
Apparently Keith did not read the article carefully…
“A high school student reported that she was struck by the counter-protestor during this altercation and the counter-protestor also reported she was assaulted,” Miller wrote. “A criminal report was generated, and we have seen several videos of the counter-protestor being assaulted but have not received any video of the student being assaulted. We are asking for anyone with video evidence of this to forward it to the Winters Police Department at tips.winters@winterspolice.org.”
Also Keith, why is an adult from Davis going to a high school and middle school protest in Winters about ICE and immigration raids, yelling about breast amputations? That’s weird!
Doesn’t matter. Still no excuse to assault Beth. Protests will often have counter protesters. I understand that Bourne had pro Trump signs too.
I’m questioning the wisdom of Beth’s actions, not the right of them.
She CHOSE to inject a non-sequitur into a protest that had NOTHING to do with breast amputations.
Side note: Several people pointed out that Beth selectively edits her videos, so that’s a degree of caution.
I think you would have a completely different take on this if a MAGA group of students attacked a counter protester.
Or let’s say a pro life group of Christian student protesters attacked an adult counter protester.
You are failing to capture some of the specifics of this particular situation in your effort to both sides this. Let me put it this way, there are some lefty gadflies I can think of for which I would give the same considerations to as this situation.
They threw bottles at her. How dangerous is that? I don’t think we’ve heard the last of this.
The mentality behind this is the reason that assassinations occur. And it starts at home and at schools.
Ideally, schools should use this type of incident as a lesson of what should NOT occur. But instead, it seems that the opposite occurs (encouragement of “anti-ICE” protests, in this case, which is then tied into the trans issue, climate change, and whatever other issue that schools and parents tell their kids regarding “good guys” vs. “bad guys”.
Schools are not an objective source of information regarding illegal immigration, since they receive FUNDING based on attendance – regardless of legal status of students. They have a vested interest in promoting illegal immigration.
That’s just a fact – not an opinion.
Has the Winter’s Police Dept. pressed any charges yet for the assault on Beth Bourne?
If they do we likely will never know since juvenile matters are confidential
Can’t police say they pressed charges but not name the culprits because they’re underage? I see this all of the time.
Google A.I.
“Yes, police can report that charges have been filed against a minor while withholding their name. Law enforcement frequently protects the identity of juveniles involved in crimes to comply with privacy laws”
It’s possible
Until relatively recently, ALL arrested names were published in the Winters newspaper, including juveniles. Decades ago, we used to play a game where we would try to get into the police report, but lost if our names were included (got caught). 😂😂
Yeah, free speech and all that but Beth should be careful. Not every crowd is like in Davis.
I remember back in the day when the Nazis marched in Skokie. The community held an official counter rally indoors but that didn’t stop an unofficial counter rally, aka a mob, from pelting the Nazis with rocks and bottles.
Without condoning any violence I’m not surprised that an incident like this happened. Complain about it, even be outraged by it, investigate it, seek justice for it all you want but don’t be surprised by it.
Nothing coming from left anymore surprises anyone.
“Yeah, free speech and all that but Beth should be careful. Not every crowd is like in Davis.”
I’m concerned about Beth’s safety, but some of those who would harm her are IN Davis.
Honestly, I’m not sure that I care about ANY issue so much that I’d willingly, repeatedly, and purposefully face a hostile crowd who have no intention of listening or considering a particular message.
Seems to me that the primary reason Beth does so is to draw attention to “intolerance” (including violence) when one challenges the prevailing view.
We know how that ended up for Charlie Kirk, for example.
Maybe she should get in people’s face and shout about amputated breasts?
Maybe she should . . .
But the issue itself is irrelevant, regarding things like this.
Pretty sure that some civil rights activists were killed some 60 years ago. Does that mean they should have been quiet (and not engaged in civil disobedience, etc.)?
Beth isn’t actually going after the kids – she’s going after the institutions (adults) who she views as supporting the “amputation of breasts”.
There shouldn’t be school districts on “one side” of the country opposed to (fill in the blank), while school districts on the other side of the country support (fill in the blank).
We shouldn’t even know what the opinion of teachers are in the first place, regarding issues like this.
They might want to focus on math skills, instead.
“But the issue itself is irrelevant, regarding things like this.”
No it’s not.
“We shouldn’t even know what the opinion of teachers are in the first place, regarding issues like this.”
Bingo…
It’s absolutely irrelevant.
Anyone, regardless of the issue (or where it’s “protested”) is legally able to protest in public without being attacked. In fact, they’re “protected” from being attacked by existing laws.
Our local “tolerant” population doesn’t seem to understand this. (The ACLU used to understand this, but I’m not sure that it does anymore.)
Can’t help but think of the similarity regarding your posting of a photo of me (and Eileen) “protesting” Village Farms in The Cannery. Yes, that’s also protected (regarding your legal right to obtain or photograph anyone, and publish it to my knowledge).
I fully support Beth Bourne, and her right to show up anywhere within the law. And I fully support the prosecution of anyone who interfered with that right (and/or attacks her).
The issue itself is irrelevant. I would support the right of YIMBYs to show up anywhere, in order to put forth their nonsense. And I would try to “protect” Scott Wiener if some idiot tried to attack him.
I do object to the corrupt political system, which enabled Scott Wiener to arise.
The reason it is relevant is that there are actually mitigating factors if she acted provocatively and incited it
There aren’t.
This is actually a good lesson for students, if they’re open to it.
The underlying problem is that they’ve been indoctrinated. Young people often are – including me (perhaps to a lesser degree).
Or as George Carlin said, he was a Catholic until he reached the “age of reason”.
The underlying/actual issue here is serious (medical interventions), though my own opinion isn’t as firm regarding that compared to someone like Beth (for what that’s worth).
Overall, I don’t “believe” in gender – even if it aligns one’s with sex. Or perhaps more accurately, one of those two terms is, in fact, a “belief”. The other term – not so much.
RG say, “I remember back in the day when the Nazis marched in Skokie. The community held an official counter rally indoors but that didn’t stop an unofficial counter rally, aka a mob, from pelting the Nazis with rocks and bottles.”
RG, this is not true. The National Socialist Party won the right to march, but did not actually march.
Perhaps you are thinking of another march where this did happen?
https://mjhnyc.org/events/when-nazis-came-to-illinois-the-history-of-the-skokie-case/
Here is a history of the story.