Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani Attacks ICE After Brooklyn Protest (That He Didn’t See) Turns Chaotic [WATCH]

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement following a protest in Brooklyn that led to multiple arrests after demonstrators attempted to disrupt the detention of an illegal immigrant accused of prior crimes, as reported by Fox News.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the incident unfolded Saturday night in the Bushwick neighborhood after ICE agents moved to arrest Chidozie Wilson Okeke, a Nigerian national who had previously been arrested on assault and drug possession charges.

Officials said Okeke entered the United States on a tourist visa in 2023 and failed to leave the country by the required deadline of Feb. 26, 2024.

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Authorities said Okeke resisted arrest, refused to exit his vehicle, and attempted to strike agents with the car. DHS further stated that he was “physically combative” and attempted to punch and elbow agents during the encounter.

“Our officers followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to make the arrest,” DHS said in a statement.

After being taken into custody, Okeke was transported to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center for a medical evaluation. DHS reported that he remained uncooperative during the evaluation, “throwing himself to the floor and screaming,” before eventually being cleared by medical staff.

Video footage circulating online shows ICE agents removing Okeke from the hospital following the evaluation.

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As the arrest unfolded, a group of anti-ICE protesters gathered outside the hospital. DHS said the crowd damaged several ICE vehicles and assaulted agents, resulting in minor injuries. Nine demonstrators were detained during the incident.

Eight individuals were arrested and charged with resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, reckless endangerment, and criminal mischief, according to the New York Police Department. One additional person was issued a summons and released.

Mamdani responded to the situation in comments to Gothamist, stating:

“I’ve said time and time again, ICE raids are cruel and inhumane. They do nothing to serve in the interest of public safety.”

The mayor was not alone in criticizing the federal operation. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso described ICE’s presence in the neighborhood as “deeply alarming” and encouraged residents to report sightings of federal agents.

“If you see ICE in your neighborhood, call or text the Hands Off NYC hotline,” Reynoso wrote. He also thanked demonstrators, stating, “To our neighbors who quickly mobilized last night, thank you for making it loud and clear that ICE is not welcome in Brooklyn.”

Democratic state Sen. Julia Salazar also urged residents to report ICE activity and described the gathering as justified, while raising concerns about the number of NYPD officers deployed during the protest.

New York City Councilmember Sandy Nurse said she was present at the protest between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m., referring to the arrest as a “kidnapping.” She stated, “We did not have any information about the person ICE had detained, although we tried many times to get information.”

The nurse added that ICE ultimately coordinated with the NYPD to transport the detainee from the hospital and leave the area.

Mamdani has previously voiced support for dismantling ICE. Speaking on ABC’s The View, he said, “I am in support of abolishing ICE.”

He continued, “What we see is an entity that has no interest in fulfilling its stated reason to exist. We’re seeing a government agency that is supposed to be enforcing some kind of immigration law, but instead, what it’s doing is terrorizing people — no matter their immigration status, no matter the facts of the law, no matter the facts of the case.”

Fox News Digital reported that requests for comment were sent to Mamdani and other local officials involved.

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