A heated confrontation broke out Thursday evening in Manhattan’s Federal Plaza, where a predominantly white group of anti-ICE protesters faced off against a more racially diverse group of pro-police demonstrators, many of whom were Black and Hispanic, according to footage obtained by the Daily Caller.
The anti-ICE activists assembled in anticipation of the alleged arrival of ICE vans outside a federal courthouse, believing they contained illegal immigrants in custody. Across the plaza near Foley Square, a counter-demonstration formed, composed of demonstrators waving “Back the Blue” banners and wearing NYPD-branded shirts. These pro-police supporters vocally cheered the officers stationed at the protest site.
Protest in Manhattan tonight was mostly black-bloc anti-ICErs on one side of the street and pro-police on the other.
At one point, pro-ICE crowd started chanting “NYPD!” so the other side responded with chants of “suck their dicks! suck their dicks!” @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/cBgT343JPj
— Rob (@RobMcGravytrain) June 13, 2025
Footage from the scene shows a stark divide—not just in ideology, but also in demographic makeup. While the anti-ICE contingent included some Puerto Rican protesters, many appeared white or white-presenting. The pro-police group, on the other hand, featured a number of Black and Hispanic individuals, according to on-the-ground video and interviews.
At one point, a Dominican man advocating for police support attempted to speak directly with the anti-ICE group. Rather than engaging, several anti-ICE activists were heard urging each other to ignore or dismiss him. The footage captures the growing tensions as differing worldviews collided not just across political lines, but within racial and ethnic communities themselves.
Anti ICEes instruct their fellow protesters not to engage with journalists filming @dailycaller pic.twitter.com/Q9cW1n9hzR
— Rob (@RobMcGravytrain) June 13, 2025
The standoff quickly escalated. As the pro-police crowd began chanting “NYPD! NYPD!,” they were met with vulgar jeers from anti-ICE demonstrators—specifically, chants of “suck their d*s!**” echoing across the plaza, caught clearly in video recordings.
The situation turned physical when two anti-ICE activists crossed the street to confront members of the opposing side. What began as a relatively civil exchange spiraled into shouting, and police were forced to intervene after a masked protester began yelling aggressively at the pro-police demonstrators.
What began as a civil discussion between two keffiyeh wearing protesters and a group of pro-ICE demonstrators quickly devolved into a shouting match @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/5DPQYhvdZZ
— Rob (@RobMcGravytrain) June 13, 2025
While the event remained largely non-violent, it reflects deeper fault lines within the national discourse over immigration, law enforcement, and social justice. The racial dynamics of this particular confrontation challenge simplistic political narratives, especially those that attempt to frame law enforcement support as universally rooted in white nationalism or anti-immigration as exclusively xenophobic.
Instead, the footage paints a picture of complex, cross-cutting coalitions: working-class minorities rallying behind law enforcement on one side, and predominantly white progressives protesting federal immigration enforcement on the other—each convinced they represent the moral high ground.
WATCH the moment NYPD has to bust up a protester clash between pro and anti-ICE protesters as the scuffle spills into the street next to Foley Square in downtown Manhattan @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/pv4X2XgdpR
— Rob (@RobMcGravytrain) June 13, 2025
