Brawl prompts Montgomery County to step up security at high school football games

Montgomery County school officials and police will begin implementing a new safety plan for high school football games after a violent fight broke out between two schools last week.

The fight happened outside the Bethesda Metro station last Friday night after a game between Walter Johnson High School and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. 

School officials said all public high scools in the county will now have to make several security changes for football games:

• Students must show their IDs before going into games
• Backpacks are no longer allowed
• Schools must limit crowds at games to 75% of the stadium's capacity
• Montgomery County police officers will be assigned to patrol areas where students are known to gather after games

While the cross-county rivalry between Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Walter Johnson was nothing new, the fight was something else.

“I don’t think anyone would have anticipated how much this had escalated and the level of violence,” Montgomery County Councilmember Kate Stewart previously said. 

Videos circulating on social media show what happened outside the Metro station. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the fight.

Five Montgomery County teens are facing some serious criminal charges stemming from the brawl. This includes a 16-year-old who will be charged as an adult facing armed robbery and second degree assault charges.

Those charged were involved in a number of incidents, including the fight at the Metro station.

At least one Walter Johnson parent and student filed a police report, saying that the student was assaulted and had his shoes taken during the incident.

A joint letter from the principals of both schools condemned the behavior, calling it “dangerous, illegal and completely inappropriate.”

The principals also pledged that the schools would take appropriate disciplinary action as students involved were identified.