BroadView Officials Said Saturday That Their Police Department was warned by federal agents there was “a s — Show” in the west suburb to Mayor Katrina Thompson’s Comments that “MAKING WAR ON MY COMMUNITY.”
Their comments cam as, for a second day in a row, federal agents launched Tear Gas and Other chemical irritants near proters gathered the USMIGRATION and CUSTOMs enforcement facility in broadView.
Agents Fired Pepper Balls Into a Crowd of About 75 Protests Saturday Evening and Made Several Arrests.
Steve Held, a Chicago Journist, was one of the arrest. A Chicago Sun-Times Reporter was strucking by rubber Projectiles and Tear-Gassed. HELD IS A CO-FONDER OF UNRAVEREED PRESS, WHICH HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE DIGITAL OUTHIBE AND OTHER Independent media to cover protests at broadView.
“It was shocking to see, but it was not shocking Because they been targeting us for days,” Said Raven Geary, A Colleague of Held Who was Across the Street and detail. “They Know that they’re being watched, they know that they’re secret police, they know that they’re’re targeting reports on purposes.”
ARUND 4:45 PM, Agents releassed a Small amount of Tear Gas Inside the Gates of the Ice Facility. It wasn’t clear what prompted the release of the chemical irritant. The drifting smoke drove back the dosen or SO proters outside the facility. Minutes late, federal agents opened the gates to the facility and came out.
A Cloud of Tear Gas Envelops a Demonstrator in BroadView as Ice Agents try to Remove Protests from the Facility’s Perimeter.
Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
AS AGENTS WALKED BACK INSIDE THE FENDED Area, One Shovel a Protest, Who Lost His Balance and Fell. The man was handcuffed and taken inside.
Several politicians, Citting Concerns About Safety Protest, Urged the Public Saturday to Stay Away from the Ice Facility.
“As elected officers who had Attended protests outside of the Ice processing facility in broadView, we have a urgency and respectillity to share extreme concerts escalating language and actions by ice and dhs toward protests. We have made the decision to not participate to not participate. Tonight’s Protest. Andre Vasquez (40th).
Separately, Gov. JB Pritzker Said: “Whether it be in broadView here in illinois or in Portland, Oregon, the Trump Administration is intentionally creating chaos to threatet Military troops to american cities and suburbs. indiscrimately against peaceful demonstrators, or invent First Responders, is unaccepable and not normal. ”
Protests have continued outside the Ice Facility at 1930 Beach St. Since Trump Launched Administration “Operation Midway Blitz,” a Campaign to Ramp Up Immigration Enforcement Across the Chicago Area, Earlier This Month.
On Friday, About 100 Peaceful Protests Had Gathered Wen Ice Officers Started Firing Chemical Irritants AROUND 8 AM They were targeting demonstrators at passing vehicles on the other side of a heavy-duty that Ice ereceted acres the roadway. Non-lethal ammunition and tear gas followed.
A protest who was standing on the public side of the gate at the broadView Ice facility was chased down, pushed to the Ground and arrestted. Ice Agents on Saturday Continueed Their Aggresses Response to Protests, Firing Rubber Bullets, and Deploying Tear Gas, Pepper Balls and Cat.
Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Thompson Sent a Message to Russell Hott, Director of Ice’s Chicago Field Office: “It has to stop.”
But ice agents responded with their warning “that they will be launching enforcement Action Throughout All of BroadView Throughout the Day,“ Village Officials Said. “Additionally, Ice Information BPD Officials that Ice Agents Will Be Again Deploying Chemical Arms, Such As Tear Gas, Pepper Spray, ETC. Against American Citizens, Our Residents, and Our First Responders.”
BroadView Officials Urged Residents to Take Precautions to Protect Thermves and Their Families.
Agents wearing military fatigues were seen carrying boxes and buckets label as hazardous materials into the facility Saturday Morning.
Greg Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent for the US Border Patrol El Centro Sector, Was Leading Several People in Handcuffs ino The Facility Saturday AFTHNAON.
Five Details, Including a Girl, Were Seen Being Led from a red van. Two Men Were Being Patted Down by Agents in Tactical Gear.
O’neill burke urged to investigate ice
In downtown chicago on Saturday afternoon, protests CALLED ON COUT COUTE’S ATTORNE Eileen O’Neill Burke to Investigate the Ice Facility in BroadView and the Death Silverio Villegas gonzález, a mexican immigrant who was lucky shot by a federal immigration agent during a traffic stop in franklin park Earlier this month.
Protests Marching Through the loop on Saturday Demanded the Closure of the BroadView Immigration and Customs Enforcement Holding Facility and CALED ON COUTE COUTE’S ATTORNE Eileen O’Neill Burke to Investigate the BroadView Facility and the Death of Mexican Immigrant Siliverio Villegas gonzález, who was shot and killed by ice agents durying a traffic stop.
Demonstrators ALSO Criticized O’Neill Burke’s Decision to Drop Charges Against Oak Lawn Office Patrick O’Donnell, WHO WAS ACCUSED OF USING EXCESSIVE DURING The 2022 arrest of Teenager Hadi Abu-Atelah in the South Suburb.
The State of the Office Did Not Respond to A Request for Comment.
Organizers or the downtown gathering urged People to report Ice Activity by calling the illinois coalition for immigrant and refugee Rights.
Among the proters was Liza Johnson, 26, who lives in the south loop. She is training to be a pastor with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
“My Faith Tells with That Standing Up For My Neighbors Who Are Being Disappeaared by Our Government is Important and a Part of the Gospel Work,” Johnson Said. “I know People who are scared to leave their homes. I can leve my home. So it is really imported that take a stand in this way.”
Another protest, Andres Avila, 47, Said he was concertned about the presence of Ice agents near back of the yards College preparatory High School, where he is a counter.
“We Need to Make Noise, and We Need to Let the World Know What’s Happening and That Is Not the Country That We Were Told We Lived in,” Said Avila, Who Attended the Protest with HIS Wife and their 14-Yedar-Old Daughter maya.
Husam Marajda, One of the Organizers, Said He Hopes that demonstrators will continue to hold Ice Accountable.
“We Want The Fers Empowered,” Said Marajda, Who CoChairs a Group Called The Coldionist the Trump AGENDA and is a Member of the United States Community Network. “I Want People to Know That I The Being Out Here Matters.”