Over 80 arrested during chaotic NYC anti-ICE protest as thousands flood the streets

More than 80 people were arrested as a massive anti-ICE protest in Lower Manhattan Tuesday devolved into chaos with shrieking, sign-holding demonstrators flooding the streets, clashing with cops and hurling objects at officers.

Thousands took to the streets near Foley Square in the shadow of City Hall to protest the Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportations ongoing in the city and throughout the country.

Police began taking rowdy demonstrators into custody as the sky grew dark — with a total of 86 people detained overnight, the NYPD said early Wednesday.

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Of those, 52 were issued criminal court summonses while 34 were arrested and charged, police said.

Many of those cuffed were charged with disorderly conduct, police sources said.

After several hours of vociferous protesting during the daylight, several chaotic scenes erupted across as night fell.

Large groups of protesters, many wearing keffiyehs associated with pro-Palestine political movements, carried on in opposition to the NYPD, which ordered a level three mobilization to handle the mass of people.

One woman confronted the protesters who were blocking traffic and preventing her from reaching her job, according to video posted to X

“How is this a peaceful protest?” the unidentified woman asks the protesters.

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Several protesters were pepper-sprayed during the course of arrests — some of which were violent.

A woman wearing a black-and-white keffiyeh was aggressively slammed to the ground by several NYPD officers, appearing to bang her head on the toppled barricades, a Post reporter witnessed.

One NYPD officer appeared to twice use pepper spray during the course of that apprehension.

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Video taken by a journalist circulating online showed some masked protesters trying to breach a police barricade in an apparent attempt to stop an ICE van from leaving the back of a Federal Plaza building.

One wild apprehension was caught on camera with police corralling a masked man by his backpack — also appearing to take into custody his friend who attempted to intervene in the initial NYPD stop.

Earlier in the day, thousands of protesters took to Foley Square in a raucous demonstration against the ICE raids in the city.

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Picketers carried placards reading “Abolish ICE” and “ICE out of New York!” and chanted phrases such as, “Brick by brick, wall by wall, this racist system has got to fall!”

Notable speakers at the protest included Brooklyn Councilwoman Shahana Hanif and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.

“In my community everyone is anxious,” Hanif told the frenzied crowd. 

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“Mayor Adams has made it clear he does not care about working class people… he is collaborating with Trump to use tactics bringing out the military. He’s ok with ICE attacking our communities,” Hanif charged.

Williams spoke across the street from the federal courthouse where he also took aim at Mayor Eric Adams.

“We’re in a scary situation and I have to call out the fact that Mayor Eric Adams is nowhere to be found in a city full of immigrants,” Williams said Tuesday afternoon.

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Williams further called out the NYPD for allowing ICE to “kidnap” people in the city.

On Monday, Adams condemned the ongoing riots across the country during a press conference alongside NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

“The escalation of protests in Los Angeles over the last couple of days is unacceptable and would not be tolerated if attempted in our city,” Adams said.

Hizzoner had warned fellow New Yorkers not to follow their California counterparts in taking over streets and fighting law enforcement.

“I want to assure all New Yorkers that we have the best police department in the world. Men and women who are prepared to handle any issues that may arise, especially when we are faced with deep division in our society,” he said.

The well-attended anti-ICE protest in lower Manhattan comes as similar demonstrations took place in San Francisco, Seattle, and Chicago.

The spreading protests come on the heels of four days of violent anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles County — which continued into its fifth night Tuesday.

Additional reporting by Joe Marino.