{"id":43366,"date":"2025-08-21T12:45:01","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T19:45:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=43366"},"modified":"2025-08-21T12:45:01","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T19:45:01","slug":"ice-pepper-sprays-protesters-and-press-at-s-f-immigration-court","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2025\/08\/21\/ice-pepper-sprays-protesters-and-press-at-s-f-immigration-court\/","title":{"rendered":"ICE pepper sprays protesters and press at S.F. immigration court"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chaos erupted after ICE arrested an asylum-seeker at the courthouse<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A\"A by\u00a0MARGARET KADIFA<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0JOE RIVANO BARROS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 20, 2025 (MissionLocal.org)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
A police officer with the Department of Homeland Security clashes with a protester in Downtown San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2025. Photo by Zenobia Lloyd.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Comic<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Help grow our newsroom<\/strong>, joining the hundreds of San Franciscans who support us by giving below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Federal immigration agents pepper-sprayed protesters and a reporter in San Francisco on Wednesday after arresting an asylum-seeker in immigration court that morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a chaotic street scene caught on video, the agents pulled out batons and tasers and tackled several protesters to the ground, detaining at least one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As has become routine, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested an asylum-seeker after a hearing at San Francisco\u2019s immigration court, and were transporting them to their headquarters a half-mile away when protesters intervened. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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ICE officers encountered about 20 people who had gathered outside the court at 100 Montgomery St. Immigrants legally seeking asylum have been routinely arrested<\/a> after their court hearings and flown to far-flung detention centers<\/a>, and protesters often congregate outside court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/videopress.com\/embed\/yo4w44hk?cover=1&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=1&hd=0Protesters captured chaotic scenes outside San Francisco immigration court on Wednesday, as ICE agents tackled several people to the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Witnesses said the two sides squared off \u2014 protesters trying to stop the vehicles, and ICE agents trying to get through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis car has ICE in it!\u201d one protester yelled. \u201cICE is not welcome in San Francisco!\u201d said another through a bullhorn as protesters stood in front of a silver minivan holding signs reading, \u201cStop your car to block ICE.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Video shows masked ICE agents disembarking from the minivan and wielding batons to push the protesters aside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe protesters and the ICE agents were facing off \u2026 and there were probably like 30-40 passers by, stopped, staring, filming,\u201d said Zenobia Pellissier Lloyd, a freelance photographer and former Mission Local<\/em> intern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pellissier Lloyd said traffic and a Muni bus had effectively blocked the ICE vehicles in. The ICE vehicles then turned around and sped down a one-way street, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Several
ICE agents arresting a protester in downtown San Francisco at what have become common anti-ICE actions, on Aug. 20, 2025. Photo by Tyler Morris.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Video shows the protesters then chasing the van down the street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About a dozen ICE agents headed toward 630 Sansome St., the ICE headquarters<\/a> about a half mile away, followed by protesters. Pellissier Lloyd said the crowd shouted after them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was just, \u2018Shame! Shame! Shame!\u2019 Someone had a megaphone saying, \u2018These are ICE agents kidnapping our neighbors,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was just a lot of, \u2018What are you so afraid of? \u2026 How do you sleep at night? What will your children think of you?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
ICE agents in downtown San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2025. Photo by Zenobia Lloyd.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The ICE agents were \u201cholding each other\u2019s arms, hands on each other\u2019s shoulders, saying \u201cStay close, stay close,\u201d Pellissier Lloyd said. \u201cThey were blocking cameras, they were randomly lashing out at people \u2026 They all had their weapons out, tasers ready.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several videos show ICE agents tussling with protesters, tackling at least four to the ground, zip-tying several, and pointing their tasers. At one point, an ICE agent \u201cdecides to turn and pepper-spray four people\u201d about a block from the ICE headquarters, Pellissier Lloyd said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of them was a reporter with the online news site Gazetteer<\/em>, who wrote<\/a> that he was hit directly and \u201cfell to the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn a literal second, the agent pulled out his pepper gel, sprayed the protester next to me, and then shot a stream straight into my eyes,\u201d the reporter, Eddie Kim, wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
ICE agents and protesters in downtown San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2025. Photo by Zenobia Lloyd.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Several
ICE agents arrest protesters in downtown San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2025. Photo by Zenobia Lloyd.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Two
ICE agents in downtown San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2025. Photo by Zenobia Lloyd.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Law
ICE agents zip tying a protester on the ground outside 630 Sansome St. on Aug. 20, 2025. Photo by Zenobia Lloyd.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Once the ICE agents arrived at HQ, \u201cI turned and saw one protester on the ground, two ICE agents on top of them, and then dragging them into 630 Sansome,\u201d Pellissier Lloyd said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mission Local <\/em>has reached out to ICE for comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wednesday\u2019s detention marks the second time the Department of Homeland Security has detained a protester in San Francisco recently. On Aug. 8, ICE detained<\/a> two protesters outside of the field office on Sansome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both of the people detained earlier this month were U.S. citizens<\/a>. It was unclear if the protester detained on Wednesday was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Wednesday afternoon, the chaos outside could be felt inside the courtrooms as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mission Local<\/em> did not see any arrests at afternoon hearings. But one family was visibly shaken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An asylum-seeker who appeared with two family members \u2014 including a child \u2014 asked the judge hearing his case, Arwen Swink, if he could appear by video for his next hearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is very tense for us,\u201d he told Swink in Spanish through an interpreter. \u201cThis is the first day I feel afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lawyer representing the Department of Homeland Security objected, citing department policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent months, asylum-seekers have been increasingly trying to appear remotely<\/a> because of the arrests at San Francisco\u2019s courtrooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swink pushed back on the Homeland Security attorney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is \u201cvalue\u201d to in-person hearings, Swink said. But, the judge added, \u201cmany, many\u201d immigrants have said they are afraid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe court does not condone using these facilities for any purposes that would generate fear,\u201d Swink said, quickly adding the attorney himself may not be intending to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swink granted the man\u2019s request to appear remotely in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAmen,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immigrants like the man who was arrested this morning who are able to quickly connect with an attorney are sometimes released on habeas corpus petitions<\/a>. Such petitions argue, often successfully in California, that their detention is a violation of their due process rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Protesters attempting to block ICE vehicles carrying an immigrant in downtown San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2025. Photo by Zenobia Pellissier Lloyd.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

MORE ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT<\/mark><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"ICE<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

ICE makes unusual arrest of indigenous woman in S.F. immigration court<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Mayor<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mayor Lurie takes credit for immigrant legal aid he had little to do with<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"What<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What can San Francisco teachers do if ICE comes knocking?<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Support the Mission Local team<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We’re a small, independent, nonprofit newsroom<\/strong> that works hard to bring you news you can’t get elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2025, we have a lofty goal: 5,000 donors by the end of the year \u2014 more than double the number we had last year. We are 20 percent of the way there: Donate today and help us reach our goal!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donate!<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MARGARET KADIFA<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

margaret@missionlocal.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m covering immigration. My background includes stints at The Economist in print and podcasting as well as reporting from The Houston Chronicle and elsewhere.More by Margaret Kadifa<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

JOE RIVANO BARROSSENIOR EDITOR<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

joe.rivanobarros@missionlocal.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joe was born in Sweden, where half of his family received asylum after fleeing Pinochet, and then spent his early childhood in Chile; he moved to Oakland when he was eight. He attended Stanford University for political science and worked at Mission Local as a reporter after graduating. He then spent time at YIMBY Action and as a partner for the strategic communications firm The Worker Agency. He rejoined Mission Local as an editor in 2023. You can reach him on Signal @jrivanob.99.More by Joe Rivano Barros<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chaos erupted after ICE arrested an asylum-seeker at the courthouse by\u00a0MARGARET KADIFA\u00a0and\u00a0JOE RIVANO BARROS August 20, 2025 (MissionLocal.org) Read Mission Local often? Help grow our newsroom, joining the hundreds of San Franciscans who support us by giving below. Donate today! Federal immigration agents pepper-sprayed protesters and a reporter in San Francisco… Continue reading → <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43366"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43366"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43367,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43366\/revisions\/43367"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}