Federal agents reportedly teargassed a crowd of hundreds of protesters in Bend, Oregon on Wednesday after they blocked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from taking two men into federal custody for hours.
After an immigration advocacy group alerted the public to ICE’s attempt to arrest two men and load them onto unmarked white buses, dozens of demonstrators began to arrive at the scene to try to prevent the buses from moving, with their numbers eventually growing to hundreds.
In video, protesters can be seen gathering around the buses, preventing them from moving.
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Organizers told The Washington Post that demonstrators had been at the hotel parking lot for as long as 12 hours and were willing to remain there as long as necessary to prevent ICE from taking the two men away.
It is unclear whether federal agents used tear gas or pepper spray. The Post reported that tear gas was used in the incident, while a local reporter at the scene said pepper spray was used.
At around 11 p.m. local time, federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security arrived on the scene, with video and photos showing agents with riot shields and batons confronting protesters.
At some point, The Post reported, chemical agents were deployed to disperse the crowd.
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Agents were then able to remove the two men from the bus, helping ICE take them into federal custody.
In a statement provided to The Post Homeland Security Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli wrote that “while ICE respects the right of people to voice their opinion peacefully, that does not include illegally interfering with federal law enforcement duties.”
Cuccinelli further said federal agents would take “all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its officers and detainees,” including taking action against “anyone who puts them in harm’s way.”
In a statement published on Twitter, the City of Bend’s Police Department noted that its officers were present on the scene and the department distanced itself from federal efforts, making clear that its officers were not assisting DHS agents more than once.
“The Department of Homeland Security is the agency in charge. Bend Police are not participating with Federal Agents’ activities,” the department said.
It then warned that federal agents were on the way, ahead of the reported teargassing incident.
When the agents arrived on the scene, the police department wrote: “Bend Police have pulled back and are not assisting the Federal Agents.”
Later, the police department wrote: “It appears the Federal Agents have left the area. The attendees of the first amendment event appear to have [dispersed] peacefully.”
Newsweek has contacted the DHS and ICE for comment.
