At least one ICE agent standing on the roof of the Broadview ICE facility, the scene of several heated demonstrations over the last several weeks, has started firing apparent chemical agents at a growing group of protesters Friday morning.
An an agent fired apparent tear gas into the crowd at about 8:15 a.m. and a few minutes earlier, another agent fired apparent “pepper balls” into the crowd at 7:50 a.m.
It was not clear if anyone was injured but the shootings sent the group, many of whom began to put on gas masks, into a frenzy. Some began yelling at the agent who was shooting, saying they had “a right to peacefully protest.”
Several also began surrounding a black SUV and tried to stop it.
As of about 7:15 a.m., a group of protesters, 30-40 and surging, has moved from outside the 25th Street entrance to the facility to outside the new silver gate, the scene of several violent demonstrations recently.
Several near the gate, erected earlier this week, were yelling toward passing vehicles on the other side of the fence:
“Quit your job you f— terrorist!”
“Do something useful you bum!”
“Get the f— out of Chicago!”
For weeks, protesters have tried to block the entrance to the compound used for processing detained immigrants.
In turn, federal officers have often pushed demonstrators and fired rubber bullets and chemical munitions into crowds.
As of about 7:30 a.m. several are tying hand-written notes to the fence, many of which are directed at detainees. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.