from Mainstream Media
Videos showed a large confrontation at the intersection of 11th and Market Streets around 7 p.m.
Two Philadelphia police officers suffered minor injuries and 15 protesters were arrested after a physical confrontation erupted during a march denouncing deportations Tuesday evening in Center City, police said.
Two protesters also reported minor injuries and received medical treatment, police said.
Video showed a confrontation at the intersection of 11th and Market Streets with police arresting at least one masked man, who was held down on the ground with the officer’s knee, while other officers used bicycles to push protesters away.
Another video showed at least three officers struggle to pull down another man they apparently were trying to arrest. One officer with a bullhorn struck the man several times in the legs with a baton and the man fell to the ground.
“Several officers employed force while making arrests. Consistent with Philadelphia Police Department policy, every use of force has been documented and will undergo a review to ensure compliance with departmental guidelines,” the department said in a statement late Tuesday night.
“The Philadelphia Police Department supports the public’s right to lawful, peaceful protest. We remain committed to facilitating First Amendment activity while protecting public safety and maintaining order on city streets,” the department said.
Around 4 p.m., about 50 people gathered for an “emergency action” at the Federal Detention Center at Seventh and Arch Streets after rumors about multiple arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the city spread online. ICE did not immediately return requests for comment.
Immigrant rights group Juntos confirmed one ICE arrest in South Philadelphia at about 7 a.m. Tuesday, adding the group had connected the person to the Mexican Consulate for legal support.
The crowd drew honks and cheers from evening commuters, and after growing in size began marching.
Police said at some point there were 150 demonstrators.
The group marched to the offices of ICE at Eighth and Cherry Street, then returned to the Federal Detention Center, police said.
Then, according to police, there was a second march that began disrupting traffic and allegedly endangered public safety.
Police said they issued orders to disperse three times. The protesters allegedly ignored the orders and continued blocking traffic while confronting officers.
Around 7 p.m., police attempted to make arrests and the “crowd’s behavior escalated, becoming violent and extremely disorderly.”
Besides the 15 arrests, including one for alleged felony aggravated assault on an officer, police said one of their vehicles was vandalized with spray paint.
One immigration advocate, who declined to give his name, said those arrested were unclear on what they did wrong.
“Police pushed them for six or seven blocks,” he said. “They declared it an illegal assembly.”
President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown led to violent clashes in the Los Angeles area after large numbers of heavily geared officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement descended on several locations to detain people.
In response to the protests around Los Angeles, Trump sent the National Guard and Marines despite the objections of Democratic leaders in California.
“It was a peaceful protest and then they started throwing people to the ground,” said Dresden Diaz, of Center City. “The attacks were vicious.”
One woman, who declined to give her name citing fear of police reprisal, said she joined the protesters after work because she thinks the immigration enforcement in Los Angeles and the Trump administration’s subsequent use of the National Guard to quell peaceful protests is “disgusting.”
“Immigrants make up this country, our families are immigrants,” said another woman.
Around 8:30 p.m., a small group of protesters returned to the Federal Detention Center. No other incidents were reported.
Around Pennsylvania, immigration advocates and ICE reported increased enforcement sweeps.
More than 20 people in Norristown have been taken into custody by ICE since the start of the month.
