BROADVIEW, Ill. – ICE protesters gathered again Friday outside the processing facility in Broadview, continuing a series of weekly demonstrations that have sometimes resulted in clashes between federal agents and demonstrators.
Last Friday, 15 people were arrested by Illinois State Police during the protest, with one of them charged with obstructing/resisting police.
Broadview ICE protests
The latest protest follows a packed Broadview Village Board meeting Monday, where residents and activists challenged Mayor Katrina Thompson’s executive orders limiting protests to between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. and restricting access to areas near the facility.
Demonstrators argue the rules infringe on their free speech and prevent them from maintaining a visible presence as federal immigration operations continue.
“I witnessed agents hitting people on the ground who were doing nothing,” protester Amanda Tovar told officials, describing a viral incident in which Rev. David Black was struck in the head by pepper balls fired by federal agents.
Activists said that incident underscores why they must remain closer to the facility and stay later into the evening.
Illinois State Police physically confronted protesters last Saturday who refused to leave after 6 p.m., prompting accusations of excessive force.
“We’ve been brutalized first by ICE, now by the Illinois State Police,” one speaker said. “I mean, what happened to us on Saturday is insane. We’re peaceful protesters. It’s a National Day of Protesting and we get beat up for staying past 6 p.m.”
Other demonstrators emphasized that their dispute is not with local leaders or police.
Big picture view:
The small western suburb has become an unexpected flashpoint in the national immigration debate and is now drawing international attention. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle praised Broadview residents for their “courage and compassion,” while Mayor Thompson thanked law enforcement and noted that many of the protesters are not from the village.
The renewed protests come as federal tensions rise across the Chicago area. On Thursday, a Juarez Community Academy student was detained — and later released — after a protest at the Little Village Discount Mall, where a security guard remains in custody following a confrontation with federal agents who deployed tear gas.
Local officials, including Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez and State Sen. Celina Villanueva, have condemned what they call “fascist” tactics by federal authorities.