A protest waged at Oak Harbor High School’s Parker Hall led to the arrest of five students Friday morning.

District spokesperson Joe Hunt said students were angered by the expulsion of a friend due to a discipline issue.

The standoff began after the second period bell rang and the students were found squatting in the cafeteria. When school staff asked them to head to class, the students refused and “became belligerent,” Hunt said.

The group of six left the high school and marched to the district office where they asked to speak with Superintendent Rick Schulte. They told the staff they had been suspended, which was untrue, Hunt said.

Confused workers called Principal Dwight Lundstrom who said to “send the students back.”

Only five students returned to the Lundstrom’s office, after one had broken off from the group. They announced they would continue their protest in Parker Hall.

“The principal said, ‘if you can’t behave, we’ll have the police escort you,'” Hunt said.

The students refused to cooperate and the police were called in.

At 9 a.m., the students were arrested on suspicion of disrupting school activities and interfering with school administration.