Classes at Palm Springs High Canceled After Racial Fighting

An eruption of fighting at Palm Springs High School, apparently spawned by racial tension between black and Latino students, led to 14 arrests Wednesday and prompted the cancellation of classes today, the Palm Springs Police Department said.

The unrest surfaced Tuesday with an interracial fight and worsened Wednesday when more than 1,700 students were on their lunch break, Sgt. Tom Barton said.

When police arrived, they found “seven or eight fights” breaking out in various locations on the campus. By the time 35 police officers and additional school personnel had quelled the fights, 12 students had been arrested on campus and on neighboring streets on misdemeanor assault charges. Two adults were arrested off campus for carrying wooden clubs, Barton said.

There were no serious injuries, Barton said, although one of the people struck was a vice principal trying to break up a fight.

Barton said no guns were found in follow-up searches, nor were there any reports of gunfire. The students were released to their parents pending Juvenile Court proceedings.

He said classes will resume Friday.