New York - Saba:
Protests in Manhattan, New York, turned violent after thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Police arrested dozens of protesters, while some remained on the streets until late into the night.
The protesters later moved to the Federal Immigration Court, where the New York Police Department (NYPD) attempted to prevent them from crossing the barriers, but the atmosphere quickly turned tense.
Eyewitnesses reported that several officers were seen arresting protesters, while minor clashes occurred between the two sides, with some protesters falling to the ground during the arrests.
New York Mayor Eric Adams reiterated his call for peaceful demonstrations, especially amid rising tensions across the country. He said the city was prepared to take necessary measures if the situation spiraled out of control.
Adams explained, "If it gets to a point where we can't handle it, I spoke with the governor yesterday, and we agreed that we will work together to ensure everyone's safety. If additional intervention is necessary, we will sit down and make the appropriate decision."
Despite the escalating tensions in Los Angeles, New York has not yet seen similar violence. Asked whether Governor Kathy Hochul would request the deployment of the National Guard, a spokesperson for her office said, "We're not going to speculate. We have confidence in the NYPD's ability to manage the situation."
In a related political development, New York Rep. Nydia Velazquez introduced a new bill, "Police Not ICE," that aims to prevent immigration agents from posing as police officers, a practice that civil rights organizations like the ACLU say creates confusion and fear.
Velazquez said, "This legislation aims to restore public trust and protect public safety."
She explained that her office has no records of such cases occurring in New York, but emphasized that the bill is preventative in nature.
She added, "When immigration officers present themselves as police, it confuses citizens, incites fear, and deepens the divide between immigrant communities and the local police officers who are supposed to protect them."
Amid this controversy, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who is running for mayor, called on the Department of Investigations to investigate whether the city's police force is sharing information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
"Reports of the NYPD cooperating and sharing information with federal agencies that is later used in civil immigration proceedings are concerning," she said in a video posted on the X platform.
A police spokesperson responded, saying, "The NYPD is not involved in civil immigration enforcement. That is a clear and unequivocal position."
A spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams also criticized Adrienne Adams's remarks, saying, "It is shameful that Adrienne Adams is trying to stoke fear for cheap political purposes."
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