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On Thursday, May 11, Menlo-Atherton High School students gathered on campus at the PAC Café around 11 a.m. for a walkout in response to a student being pinned down and arrested by Atherton police on Middlefield Road in April, according to the M-A Chronicle.
Organized by the student club M-A Protest Organization, participants walked from the Atherton campus to nearby Burgess Park in Menlo Park, where speakers addressed the crowd. The walkout took place during fourth period.
SLIDESHOW: At 11 a.m. on May 11, 2023 students assembled in and around the PAC Café to participate in the M-A Protest Organization’s scheduled walkout. Courtesy Daniel Lanier. 
SLIDESHOW: While Menlo-Atherton High School students walked out of classes on May 11, 2023 they continued to hold up advocacy signs and vocalize chants such as “Black lives matter” and “Hands up; don’t shoot!” Courtesy Daniel Lanier. 
SLIDESHOW: Menlo-Atherton High School students then headed off campus toward Burgess Park in Menlo Park, where they planned to reconvene a walkout on May 11, 2023. Courtesy Daniel Lanier. 
Menlo-Atherton High School students staged a walkout on May 11, 2023 in response to a recent incident between Atherton police and a student off campus. Courtesy Daniel Lanier. 
SLIDESHOW: “I decided to come because I was actually there when (the student) was getting arrested and seeing that… I couldn’t believe my eyes. I hope that (the walkout) will show our administration that we want a change and that we will not stop until we get a change,” said student Melanie Osuna Madera during a walkout at Menlo-Atherton High School on May 11, 2023. Courtesy Daniel Lanier. 
SLIDESHOW: Students gather for a walkout at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton on May 11, 2023. “We’re not gonna let this happen ever again. When we did, we were just kids sitting there, letting the police do anything because we were scared. But we’re not scared by them,” said Steven Gomez. Courtesy Daniel Lanier. 
SLIDESHOW: Students sat at Burgess Park in Menlo Park and cheered on speeches by the May 11, 2023 Menlo-Atherton High School student walkout’s leaders. Courtesy Daniel Lanier. 
SLIDESHOW: “We wanted to show people that even though it’s such a small thing, it’s really concerning and that we really care. We hope that the police get re-educated because the way they handled things was not okay, it was so unprofessional. We want justice for all the trauma they brought to the student,” said student Itzel Garcia during a walkout at Menlo-Atherton High School on May 11, 2023. Courtesy Daniel Lanier.
Students also gathered for a smaller walkout the following day, Friday, May 12, at noon, according to the M-A Protest Organization’s Instagram page. This walkout was open to students from other schools.
For more on the incident read our story on community response at a recent board meeting.
The student, who was arrested following an alleged confrontation with a member of the school administration, is being represented by notable civil rights attorney John Burris, whose past clients include Rodney King.
