Opelousas police are dealing with an outbreak of fights, and so far this month there have been at least five videos posted on social media sites that involve juveniles fighting.

Lieutenant Corey Leger says two of the fights involved parents and these brawls are stemming from comments and videos posted on the web. “We are now monitoring all the social sites on a constant basis and if we find any criminal activity and can identify any of these people in the city of Opelousas and identify that a crime is being committed then those individuals will be charged accordingly.”

On Monday eight students and one mother were arrested following two fights at Opelousas High School which Leger says was an argument at the school where the parent and the three girls were in an altercation. All of them began fighting in the classroom. The same afternoon five other young ladies, all students at Opelousas High School, were involved in another fight. Police said a fight that happened Friday on Convent Street is believed to be connected to one of Monday’s incidents. Also, on Monday night an unrelated fight took place at North City Park. Leger said six arrests have been made in the fight and officers are searching for three other suspects.

“A lot of juveniles are choosing to engage in fights. Some of which parents are standing by allowing these kids to fight or even encouraging the kids to fight,” said Leger.

Leger said police are also investigating a fight at a bus stop in Opelousas from March 9th involving juveniles and a parent who was encouraging the fight. One parent, Nancy Carriere, whose child was not involved in these fights, believes these parents should be setting better examples for their children.

Carriere says, “Parents need to be leaders and not join in on any situation. If it is anything they need to go there and discuss with the adults.”

Police are not taking these fights lightly and are expecting more arrests.