Anti-ICE activists vowed Sunday to proceed protesting federal immigration raids within the Massive Apple — and refused to apologize for a violent conflict with the NYPD at a Decrease Manhattan demonstration.
The proclamation got here simply sooner or later after the protest in opposition to US Immigration & Customs Enforcement brokers received out of hand, with cops caught within the center — and protesters now vowing to maintain doing it.
“We don’t apologize for standing up,” metropolis Public Advocate Jumaane Williams mentioned at a press convention with members of the New York Immigration Coalition, sooner or later after greater than 150 protesters battled with cops exterior an ICE deployment middle.
“We’ll do it each single time,” Williams vowed.
Police mentioned Sunday that “a number of people had been taken into custody” on the out-of-control demonstration exterior the US Basic Providers Administration constructing on Centre Road earlier than midday Saturday that noticed law enforcement officials known as in, solely to be bombarded with trash and particles.
Cops wouldn’t present extra particulars nor reveal what number of had been charged, however mentioned cops repeatedly warned the mob to maneuver alongside, resulting in confrontations between the 2 sides after they refused.
Sources mentioned at the least 18 of the demonstrators had been charged.
Protesters, who descended upon the town over the weekend, converged on a Decrease Manhattan parking storage the place federal immigration brokers had been allegedly able to deploy for an immigration round-up raid, regulation enforcement sources mentioned.
On Sunday, advocates known as the continued raids “horrifying and idiotic.”
“Our neighbors, New Yorkers of each stripe, mobilized, took outing of their day to return right here and defend their neighbors to guarantee that individuals weren’t disappeared, that households weren’t separated, and stood right here for hours,” coalition president and CEO Murad Awawdeh instructed reporters.
One other pol on the presser was outgoing metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, who took problem with the NYPD, claiming they “facilitated ICE deportations.
“I actually do wish to ask the NYPD to recollect who you’re sworn to guard and serve, and it’s the individuals of New York Metropolis,” Lander mentioned.
“And yesterday, the individuals who had been defending and serving New Yorkers had been the protesters who confirmed up.”
Nevertheless, regulation enforcement sources instructed The Submit that NYPD brass was lower than happy with New York’s Best getting caught in the midst of the raucous riot — and not using a heads-up from the feds.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch allegedly gave the feds a tongue-lashing over the Saturday melee, which noticed cops pelted with particles after they tried to step in to guard the ICE brokers, sources mentioned.
Tisch has agreed to remain on when Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a frequent critic of federal immigration insurance policies beneath President Trump, takes workplace after his election victory earlier this month.
Federal authorities have additionally needed to navigate New York’s standing as a sanctuary metropolis and coverage of not working with ICE on civil arrests and deportations — which runs counter to the Trump administration’s marketing campaign to launch immigration raids all through the nation since taking workplace.
In the meantime, immigrant advocates mentioned they’re not going to let up whereas the raids proceed.
“Each time federal officers come into our communities with the intention of conducting lawless raids, of terrorizing our communities, they are going to be met with non-violent group resistance,” Hannah Stouts, an organizer for Fingers Off NYC, mentioned throughout Sunday’s press convention.
