Protest in Dallas Against ICE Raids Ends in Clash With Police

• Dallas: Protest on Bridge Against ICE
• Clashes With Police
• Support for Detained Immigrants

About 400 people took to the streets of Dallas on Monday night in a protest against the immigration raids carried out by ICE in California.

The demonstration took place on the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, where attendees voiced their rejection of federal actions targeting undocumented immigrants.

The event began peacefully at 7 p.m., but tensions rose as the hours passed.

The protest aimed to show solidarity with immigrants in Los Angeles who have been the target of massive ICE operations.

Tension in Dallas Over Protest Against ICE Raids

«ICE, ICE, shut it down!» and “Let’s unite and fight for immigrant rights” were some of the chants heard on the bridge.

Protesters carried signs with messages like “Immigrants built this nation.”

By 10 p.m., Dallas police ordered attendees to disperse or face arrest.

By 11 p.m., some protesters still near the bridge were surrounded by officers.

During the operation to stop the protest against ICE, at least one person was arrested, and there were reports of pepper spray being used.

Clarence Ford, senior pastor at The Christian Chapel Temple of Faith in North Dallas, was among those affected.

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«An officer approached, completely out of control, and started pushing and pulled out his baton and pepper spray,» Ford recounted.

«I raised my hands and said, ‘Officer, I am not a threat.’ And he started using the pepper spray,» the pastor added.

Federal Deployment and Demonstrations in Defense of Immigrants

Organizers stated that the gathering was intended as a show of solidarity, but the police presence sparked the confrontations.

Among the prominent voices was Esperanza Tomeo, 44, a Dallas resident and leader of the Brown Berets of Dallas-Fort Worth.

“Everything that has been happening (in Los Angeles) has violated due process—they’ve ignored so many laws,” Tomeo said.

“This government has no problem breaking the law to point fingers and criminalize those they claim are breaking it,” she added.

Tensions were further fueled by the deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles, ordered by President Donald Trump.

California Governor Gavin Newsom publicly opposed this federal measure.

The protest in Dallas was declared illegal by city authorities later that night.

Despite that, many attendees remained firm in their demand for respect for immigrants’ rights.

The demonstration is part of a wave of mobilizations across the country against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

Organizers vowed to continue with similar actions in the coming days.

What do you think about the use of force during peaceful protests for immigrant rights?

SOURCE: Dallas News / Univision