Chaos intensified as members of the crowd hurled potted plants and other objects toward police lines. Additional demonstrators attempted to erect metal barricades and positioned themselves in the middle of Centre Street to halt traffic. One protester told the New York Post that participants were climbing the structure “to see who ICE had inside,” while others accused officers of escalating the situation. Visitors like New Jersey resident Peter Suh claimed police should have allowed uninterrupted demonstrations.

Witness accounts varied, with an Australian tourist describing both sides as “pretty aggressive,” noting that several people were shoved to the ground during the confrontations. The NYPD maintained that officers responded appropriately to a dangerous obstruction of federal operations.

The unrest comes as President Donald Trump prepares to deploy additional federal immigration officers to New York City following the election of socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani. Although Mamdani recently met with Trump at the White House, the new mayor has vowed to resist deportation efforts and transform the city into a sanctuary governed by “international law.” In response, the administration has pledged to expand enforcement actions across the region.