What was intended to be a seemingly harmless photo opportunity has sparked backlash in the community of Plainfield, Indiana – a township outside of Indianapolis.
A collection of Plainfield High School football players assembled on Saturday for an outreach event held by Indiana state police on school campus.
At the gathering’s conclusion, 15 seniors for the football team assembled to take a picture on the back of an armored vehicle. One player held a sign reading “CHAOS 2014,” while some of his teammates clutched non-lethal weapons such as tear gas and beanbag launchers.
A photo of Plainfield High School athletes toting tear-gas launchers has stirred controversy. http://t.co/9xmRsID1Gs pic.twitter.com/ZJWX5AbNEh
— Indianapolis Star (@indystar) August 14, 2014
After the photograph was posted online, parents commented on safety concerns over students holding weapons on school grounds. The Hendricks County school board issued the following statement:
The state police have also responded to parents’ concerns, assuring the community that student safety was never in jeopardy. However, much like the school board, Capt. Dave Bursten stated that the department will review its protocol for outreach events to prevent any similar future situations.
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