PALM BAY, Fla. – A Central Florida high school student got so mad about a Donald Trump sign that he punched one of his classmates in the face and then repeatedly cursed at and fought with school officials, according to the Palm Bay Police Department.
The incident began Wednesday afternoon when Andre Hudson, a 17-year-old Bayside High School student, got into an argument with a classmate who was holding a Trump sign during gym class. Tensions escalated and Hudson punched his peer in the side of the face, police said.
Hudson was taken to the dean's office. When a school resource officer arrived he was visibly agitated and swearing at school officials, according to an affidavit.
The officer tried to de-escalate the situation, but Hudson stuck his middle finger in the officer's face, paced around the room and began punching filing cabinets and knocking things off the desk, police said.
"When I see that white boy again, I'm going to punch him in his face," Hudson said, according to the report.
Hudson stormed off, and when he returned to the office, with the officer following him, he saw the student with whom he had fought earlier and confronted him again, authorities said.
The teen cursed at his classmate while standing in a "menacing fashion" and staring, police said. The other student sat silently during the encounter.
A school official tried to stop Hudson, but he shoved her and refused to listen when she told him to get out of the office, according to the report.
Hudson tensed up and resisted as the school resource officer grabbed him by his wrist to try to restrain him. Ultimately the officer had to grab Hudson in a bear hug to get him to the ground to handcuff him, the report said.
Once in the officer's office, Hudson kicked and started to swear once again, authorities said. The officer pulled him from his chair and called in a second unit to help keep him restrained.
Hudson was taken to juvenile detention. He's being charged with battery and felony battery on a school official.