WATCH: Texas man picks a fight with teens protesting ICE, assaults high school girl in caught-on-camera brawl
A Texas man allegedly attacked a teenage girl after sparking a violent confrontation with high school students during an anti-ICE protest, according to police and video footage that has circulated online.
Police identified Chad Michael Watts, 45, as the man seen in the widely shared clip of the chaotic incident involving students from Hays Consolidated Independent School District.
The protest took place Monday afternoon in a grassy area of Buda, Texas, where students had gathered to demonstrate against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The video shows Watts allegedly pushing a girl to the ground while her friends tried to intervene.
The footage then shows Watts lunging at a male student, knocking him down, before another teenager flips him to the ground while holding him by the neck. Students can be heard yelling, “Get him, get him!”
Other students then strike Watts with punches and kicks before he gets up and walks toward his gray pickup truck. As the students surround the vehicle and shout at him, Watts appears to put on a red “MAGA” hat before leaving the scene.
Buda police responded to the incident and interviewed both Watts and the girl, who declined medical attention despite minor injuries. Watts was allowed to leave initially, but police arrested him the next day following an investigation.
A subsequent mugshot shows Watts bald and clean-shaven, unlike his appearance in the video, where he had a full head of hair and a beard. He faces two counts of assault causing bodily injury. Authorities said a verbal dispute between Watts and the girl escalated into physical violence.
Kyle, TX: Video circulating from @reporteaustin shows an adult attempting to put hands on high school students during a protest — and the students defended themselves.
Leave kids alone. Peaceful protest isn’t an invitation for intimidation. pic.twitter.com/97QY7VGwCP
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) February 3, 2026
Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra condemned Watts’ alleged actions in a statement Tuesday, saying, “No matter one’s political views, an adult bears a clear responsibility to exercise restraint, especially in the presence of children. Violence or intimidation directed at a minor – particularly during a lawful, peaceful demonstration – has no place in a constitutional republic that depends on the rule of law rather than force.”
Meanwhile, Hays CISD officials announced new policies for student protests following the incident. Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright said the demonstrations “strain the resources of the school district and community law enforcement agencies – neither of which has any control over what happens with national immigration policy.”
The district’s measures include requiring parents to sign students out of school if they leave for a protest and reinstating Saturday detention for unexcused absences. Wright added that future walkouts “would not be productive and only hurt our students’ self-interests,” noting concerns that such protests might be perceived as excuses to skip school.
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