Anti-ICE Riots Erupt After Officer Shoots Gang Member
Anti-ICE protesters clash with police in NYC after ICE officer shoots illegal immigrant with gang ties.
2 min read
Anti-ICE protesters clashed with police in New York City overnight after an ICE officer shot a criminal illegal immigrant with suspected gang ties during an attempted arrest. The incident sparked violent unrest, with hundreds of agitators taking to the streets and chanting slogans like ‘F*ck ICE’ and ‘the people united will never be defeated.’
Shooting Sparks Riot
The violence followed the shooting of 28-year-old Oscar Belgal, an illegal alien from the Dominican Republic with a lengthy criminal history. Belgal was shot in the neck by a federal agent after ICE attempted to detain him in his vehicle. A 5-year-old child was reportedly in the back of the vehicle at the time of the incident and was not injured. Belgal is believed to be in stable condition.
Rioters stormed the streets outside the hospital where Belgal was taken, chanting slogans such as ‘from Palestine to Mexico, all these walls have got to go’ and holding up signs that read ‘break the chains.’ Video footage shows rioters attempting to pull down metal gates set up by police and masked men wearing keffiyehs pushing down barriers in front of the hospital. Five people were arrested during the clashes, according to the New York Post.
Mayor Lashes Out at ICE
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned ICE’s actions, claiming he had been negotiating the release of Belgal with President Donald Trump and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. However, the negotiations were unsuccessful, and Mamdani demanded that ICE agents leave the scene entirely and cease enforcement actions in the city.
Mamdani also accused ICE of operating with impunity and causing chaos and terror across the country, claiming they have killed more neighbors than they have saved. Notably, he did not call on the violent mob to stop attacking law enforcement or destroying property.
Sanctuary Policies and DHS Response
The Department of Homeland Security noted that it was the NYPD who released Belgal in December 2023 due to sanctuary city policies. DHS criticized sanctuary politicians for forcing federal officers to make arrests in unpredictable and dangerous environments, putting both officers and innocent Americans at risk.
Source: Daily Wire
