More than 20 people were arrested Saturday as a mob of nearly 150 protesters cursed at cops and tried to block federal authorities from conducting immigration raids in Lower Manhattan, according to a police source, federal officials and video from the chaotic scene.
The angry, masked demonstrators yelled “motherf–kers” at officers, sat in the roadway, threw objects and even themselves in front of an unmarked white van with tinted windows as it tried to leave 26 Federal Plaza, where the US Immigration Court is housed.
“Back up, back up!” six uniformed Department of Homeland Security officers yelled while shoving the agitators aside, footage of the incident showed.
Demonstrators hauled metal barricades, orange traffic cones and even fished a drawerless dresser from a nearby dumpster to throw into the street in an attempt to block the van, but cops quickly moved it out of the way.
The vehicle was finally able to drive away after about two minutes but the scene later devolved into mayhem as nearly 40 NYPD and federal officers continued to clash with the demonstrators, video shows.
The arrested individuals were issued summonses, according to an NYPD spokesperson, who said cops had responded to a 911 call about a disorderly group, and observed the scofflaws sitting in the roadway to block traffic.
Tricia McLaughlin, DHS’s assistant secretary for public affairs, praised police for quickly responding to the riotous scene and arresting the agitators after “rioters” interfered with ICE’s immigration enforcement operations.
“Secretary (Kristi) Noem’s message to rioters is clear: you will not stop us or slow us down,” McLaughlin said in a statement to The Post.
“ICE will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
A similar scene erupted in Los Angeles, California, as violent protests against federal immigration raids broke out for a second straight day.
Tom Homan, ICE’s Acting Director, said the National Guard would be mobilizing Saturday evening to combat the chaos.
ICE didn’t immediately respond to The Post request for comment.
