Numerous federal agents dressed in fatigues, helmets and gas masks were spotted clashing with a group of people in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood Thursday morning, with Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino also at the scene near the Discount Mall at 26th and Troy.
The clashes come a day after another chaotic scene unfolded in both Little Village and in Cicero, with debris from apparent car crashes, armed and masked agents and witnesses reporting seeing numerous people taken into custody.
Thursday morning, Telemundo Chicago crews reported seeing and feeling chemical irritants like tear gas and pepper bullets being used in the area. Photos and video from the scene show a large presence of federal agents with badges that said “Police” in the middle of the street, along with cars and clouds of smoke. Residents could be seen holding up their phones to film the tense moments.
Chicago police officers were also spotted at the scene. In the sky, helicopters could be seen hovering over the area.
“They shot me with a ball of pepper spray, and I wasn’t even close to them,” one witness told Telemundo Chicago, speaking in Spanish.
The witness, who could be seen with yellow residue on his jacket, went on to say said he was standing about four feet away from agents when he was struck.
Oct. 9, a federal judge issued a Temporary Restraining Order barring federal agents from using chemicals on crowds unless there is a threat.
A statement from the Chicago Police Department said officers at about 10:15 a.m. responded to multiple 911 calls in the area, including some from federal agents in need of assistance.
When gthey arrived. CPD supervisors and officers saw a large crowd and worked to de-escalate, the statement said. The statement added that CPD officers were only on scene to maintain public safety through crowd and traffic control.
According to CPD, one person was arrested for battering a Chicago police officer,. Charges were pending.
Once the scene was safely secured, CPD left the area, the statement said.
The Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol and the Chicago Police Department did not immediately return NBC Chicago’s request for comment.
State Sen. Celina Villanueva, Chicago City Council Alderman Bryon Sigcho-Lopez and others are planning a 2 p.m. news conference about Thursday’s events.
Heavy federal agent presence continues in Little Village
According to 22nd Ward Ald. Mike Rodriguez, a series of enforcement actions took place in Chicago’s Little Village during the morning hours Wednesday. While federal agents appeared to be leaving the area, a number of car crashes unfolded in both the West Side neighborhood and Cicero, which sits just over the border outside of Chicago.
The crashes took place along 26th Street near Kostner and Ogden.
It remained unclear what caused the crashes, who was involved in them and if there were any injuries.
Damaged cars could be seen on roadways in the area as drivers around each scene honked their horns repeatedly, many shouting at agents, according to footage from the scene. The armed and masked agents were seen in video telling drivers to keep moving.
Glass and pieces of shattered taillights were seen scattered across area roadways. Top Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino was also at one of the scenes, footage from NBC Chicago and Telemundo Chicago cameras showed.
“I was just out with agents just a couple of minutes ago on the streets of Chicago in the Little Village neighborhood,” he told Fox News in an interview. “I watched our agents. Our agents, they operate with extreme professionalism. They do everything right.”
Witnesses reported seeing numerous people taken into custody and tensions were high as the response unfolded.
Cicero and Chicago police later responded to the scenes as protesters lined at least one of the intersections, many honking horns, blowing whistles and shaking cowbells.
Cicero police said they were called around 11:15 a.m. to the area of 26th Street and Ogden Avenue for a report of a Customs and Border Protection vehicle rammed at an intersection.
“Upon arrival, responding officers determined the incident did NOT occur as initially reported. Instead, it was confirmed that a crash occurred involving two vehicles, but none belonging to CBP,” the department said in a release. “The driver of a blue GMC pickup was allegedly attempting to strike ICE agents in a Chevy Silverado while those agents were in the area. When both vehicles reached a red light at that intersection, the driver of the GMC pickup accelerated away, disregarded the red light and collided with a gray Toyota Corolla driving through that intersection. Federal agents took the driver of the GMC pickup into custody, provided statements to Cicero investigators, and left the scene.”
Cicero police said they were called as a “precaution” after a group arrived at the scene, though they noted the crowd “dispersed peacefully and the accident scene was cleared within 45 minutes.”
No injuries or arrests were reported at the protest scene from Cicero police.
The enforcement comes as a federal judge in Chicago extended a temporary restraining order blocking National Guard deployment in the city for an extra 30 days.
Check back for more on this developing story.
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