A lawsuit was filed in federal court June 5 alleging police officers used “disproportionate and unreasonable” force on a group of teenagers during a January basketball game at Whitehall High School.

The teenagers, along with their parents, are suing Whitehall Township and several Whitehall police officers, including Chief Michael Marks, according to the report.

The lawsuit stems from an incident Jan. 28 on the Whitehall-Coplay School District campus. Two WHS boys basketball games were canceled that night after several students reportedly became disruptive and police were called, according to an earlier statement released by WCSD.

According to Dr. Lorie Hackett, superintendent of WCSD, “The information we have at this time indicates the school district’s athletic director, in maintaining safety, acted appropriately in asking students to leave an unsupervised area in the high school during the basketball game.

“After several unsuccessful attempts to get the students to leave the unsupervised area and return to the gym, they were then asked to leave the event,” Hackett said.

Whitehall Township police officers were then asked to assist. The juveniles refused numerous requests by officers to leave, police said. When officers attempted to take the juveniles into custody, they were surrounded by other juveniles who “physically attempted to block the officers from a lawful arrest,” according to Whitehall Police Lt. Gregory Bealer.

Officers from multiple agencies responded to assist in controlling the area.

Bealer said the four juveniles were then taken into custody. They were charged with inciting a riot - a felony - as well as defiant trespass, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstruction of the administration of the law - all misdemeanors.

A juvenile court hearing was held Feb. 12 before Lehigh County Judge Kelly Banach, who dropped the felony charges of inciting a riot.

In a news release June 5, Marks acknowledged the lawsuit, filed by Attorney Matthew Mobilio on behalf of the teenagers and their parents.

“The township considers these allegations without merit,” Marks said, “and will vigorously defend against these allegations.”

Marks said no further comment will be made regarding the pending litigation.