BROADVIEW, Ill. (RTW News) — Federal agents fired pepper balls and tear gas at protesters near an immigration enforcement building in suburban Chicago on Friday, leading to chaotic scenes as demonstrators attempted to express their opposition to the ongoing surge in immigration enforcement.
The conflict lasted several hours and marks the latest confrontation as federal authorities crack down on protests aimed at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility located 12 miles west of Chicago. The event comes amid a nationwide surge of immigration enforcement actions that began earlier this month.
During the protest, many demonstrators tried to block a car from entering the facility, prompting agents to repeatedly launch chemical agents towards the crowd, causing chaos among protesters who were mostly standing well back from the fence.
As the situation escalated, protesters were seen falling to the ground and fleeing the scene as agents continued to fire their weapons, dispersing the gathering of dozens.
Prior weeks had seen similar protests where demonstrators attempted to hinder ICE vehicle movement in and out of the facility, intensified further by increased security measures such as the installation of a fence. On Friday morning, protesters had initially gathered at a section of the fence to tie handwritten messages of solidarity for detainees.
Among those affected, Bushra Amiwala, an elected member of the Skokie Board of Education, reported being hit by pepper bullets while participating in the demonstration, resulting in coughing and breathing difficulties. She labeled the agents’ response as fully unprovoked.\
“They caught us so incredibly off guard,” Amiwala expressed, showing the remnants of the chemical agents on her clothing. “We literally were just tying notes on the wall.”
Village officials have voiced concern over the legality of the recently constructed fence, demanding its removal due to security hazards. At the time, it remained in place despite protests against it.
Currently, it is unclear whether any arrests were made during the incident, although federal officials noted multiple arrests had occurred in prior protests at the same location, labeling those taken into custody as rioters.
