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In an interview with WGBH, a New Hampshire news outlet, Mr Schmidt said he was asked about a drug misdemeanour charge that was later dismissed and a later DUI that resulted in fines and probation.

Responding to the protests, the LA Police Department said it made 29 arrests, almost all for failure to disperse, which is a misdemeanour, according to the BBC's media partner CBS News.

A police spokesperson said that Mr Cohen was charged with crowding, obstructing or incommoding - a misdemeanour offence often used in civil disobedience cases in the US capital.

The district attorney said the students would face misdemeanour charges of unlawful imprisonment and would be released to the custody of their parents if they turned themselves in voluntarily.

In an email from the school, parents were told one-hour same-day detentions would also be given out for misdemeanours including forgetting stationery, wearing incorrect uniform and failure to complete homework.