New York City saw one of its most violent anti-immigration-enforcement protests in years on Saturday, as hundreds of anti-ICE agitators swarmed Lower Manhattan, blocking streets, vandalizing government property, and attacking federal officers during active ICE operations in Chinatown. The chaotic scene — captured on dozens of cellphone videos — shows masked rioters hurling trash cans, ripping down barricades, and ramming massive potted plants in front of ICE vehicles to prevent agents from exiting a federal building.

The NYPD confirmed multiple arrests, though an official count has not yet been released. Authorities say more arrests may follow as investigators comb through video evidence and social-media posts used to organize the event.

What began as a “protest” quickly devolved into a coordinated assault on federal officers, marking yet another flashpoint in the escalating national showdown over immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s second term.

A Planned Ambush: “They Put a Target on Our Officers’ Backs”

The violence erupted near the U.S. General Services Administration building at Centre and Howard Streets — adjacent to a federal parking garage where ICE vehicles were stationed as part of ongoing operations targeting criminal illegal immigrants in the Chinatown area.

ICE Public Affairs Assistant Director Emily Covington issued a stark warning, saying the mob was summoned intentionally via social media channels:

“Individuals dressed in black clothing with backpacks, face masks, and goggles showed up and began to obstruct federal law enforcement officers. When individuals broadcast the location of ICE, they are putting a target on the backs of officers.”

This is the same tactic used repeatedly in Portland, Seattle, and Denver in recent years — swarming ICE facilities, blocking exits, and attempting to prevent the transport of detainees. But Covington revealed something far more alarming:

ICE officers are facing:

1,150% increase in assaults

8,000% increase in death threats

— in just the past year, coinciding with Trump’s massive ICE and National Guard deployment cycles in major “sanctuary” cities.

The Scene: Trash Cans, Barricades, and Flying Debris

When NYPD officers arrived, they found:

Streets blocked with garbage cans, bikes, and recycling bins

Barricades shoved against federal vehicles

Protesters screaming obscenities into officers’ faces

Makeshift shields and goggles suggesting pre-planned confrontation

Videos show rioters pushing huge potted plants and dumpsters in front of ICE SUVs — a tactic meant to delay or entrap officers inside the parking garage.

Police issued multiple dispersal orders, but the crowd ignored them, escalating the confrontation until officers physically moved in.

NYPD officers can be heard repeatedly shouting:

“Move back!”
“Street is closed!”
“You’re blocking federal officers — step away!”

The agitators continued to advance.

The arrests came only after disorder crossed into direct assaults, according to officials.

Backdrop: Chinatown ICE Raids Fuel a Month of Unrest

Tensions in Chinatown have been boiling for weeks. ICE has been conducting targeted operations in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn following Trump’s executive directives to prioritize deportation of:

Criminal aliens

Visa overstays

Gang-affiliated migrants

Those with DUI or assault charges

While ICE says the vast majority of detainees have criminal histories, activists have accused the administration of “terrorizing immigrant neighborhoods.”

This latest riot is part of a growing pattern across blue cities:

Protests outside ICE offices

Social media “flash mobs” targeting ICE vehicle routes

Attempts to block deportation buses

Crowds showing up at known ICE interview locations

Rioters using encrypted group chats to coordinate ambushes

NYPD officials say they have been tracking similar plans online since early fall.

Political Flashpoint: Critics Blame Trump — Supporters Blame Sanctuary Policies

Left-wing activists

Call the crackdown “state terror,” “ethnic cleansing,” and “Trump’s deportation war.”

Conservatives

Say this is what happens when major cities refuse to cooperate with federal law enforcement — creating areas where ICE agents are sitting targets.

The political contrast is stark:

Trump says ICE is removing “criminals, drug traffickers, and foreign fugitives.”

Activists claim ICE is “breaking families apart and targeting peaceful communities.”

NYPD says protesters are obstructing federal operations and putting officers at risk.

The shooting of two National Guard members in D.C. earlier this week by an Afghan migrant has further inflamed political tensions, increasing public anxiety about immigration enforcement and vulnerability of officers.

What Comes Next: More Raids — and More Resistance?

ICE has indicated operations will continue, despite the violent response:

“We will not stop making lawful arrests simply because activists scream, block vehicles, or throw trash cans.”

NYPD is expected to increase its presence around federal buildings in Lower Manhattan. DHS officials may also push for federal charges against those who interfered with ICE operations — potentially including:

Obstruction of federal officers

Destruction of government property

Conspiracy charges for organizers

Assault on federal law enforcement

Meanwhile, activist networks are planning more demonstrations. Telegram groups, Discord servers, and Instagram pages have been circulating calls for “mobilization” and “direct action” ahead of potential ICE sweeps in Queens and Brooklyn.

It’s clear the battle over immigration enforcement is no longer confined to courts and legislatures — it’s spilling into the streets.