MANHATTAN (PIX11) – Residents of New York City are planning to rally against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after an incident left many feeling unsettled.
Masked ICE agents allegedly pepper-sprayed residents in Manhattan, according to a New York official familiar with the situation.
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The incident occurred Thursday afternoon in the Inwood neighborhood of Upper Manhattan. Residents reported seeing ICE agents in the area over the past few days, but on Thursday they were conducting operations.
During the enforcement operation, someone slashed the tire of one of the ICE vehicles. As residents began filming the agents, one woman was reportedly pepper-sprayed by an ICE agent. Two other residents were subsequently sprayed, officials told PIX11 News over the phone.
The interaction was captured on video and has been circulating on social media and Reddit.
ICE agents were also spotted in Brooklyn, according to New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
“Trump sent his minions to try to intimidate New Yorkers, tear families apart, and flaunt our laws—apparently pepper-spraying a protester exercising their right to record,” read a post on the Public Advocate’s Facebook.
PIX11 News reached out to the Department of Homeland Security; officials were not immediately available to comment.
The community is planning to unite against masked ICE agents in their neighborhood, with a rally to be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday on Seaman Avenue at Isham Street. For more information, click here.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.