At least five people were arrested Saturday as a mob of nearly 100 protesters cursed at cops and tried to block federal authorities apparently conducting immigration raids in Lower Manhattan, according to police and video from the chaotic scene.
The angry, masked demonstrators yelled “motherf–kers” at officers, sat in the roadway, threw objects and even themselves in front of an unmarked white van with tinted windows as it tried to leave 26 Federal Plaza, where the US Immigration Court is housed.
“Back up, back up!” six uniformed Department of Homeland Security officers yelled while shoving the agitators aside, footage of the incident showed.
Demonstrators hauled metal barricades, orange traffic cones and even fished a drawerless dresser from a nearby dumpster to throw into the street in an attempt to block the van, but cops quickly moved it out of the way.
The vehicle was finally able to drive away after about two minutes but the scene later devolved into mayhem as nearly 40 NYPD and federal officers continued to clash with the demonstrators, video shows.
All five arrested were issued summonses, according to an NYPD spokesperson, who said cops had responded to a 911 call about a disorderly group, and observed the scofflaws sitting in the roadway to block traffic.
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
