BROOKLYN, NY— A late-night federal immigration enforcement action outside Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn escalated into a standoff between protesters, NYPD officers and ICE agents, resulting in injuries and arrests.
Masked agents brought a handcuffed man to the Bushwick hospital around 9:43 p.m. Saturday for medical treatment following an earlier arrest, according to sources and witnesses.
News of the detention spread, drawing more than 100 protesters to the hospital entrance by about 10 p.m.
NYPD officers arrived shortly after and began pushing back the crowd, while a law enforcement source said an ICE agent deployed pepper spray, injuring both protesters and several officers.
“When cops arrived at the scene, they observed individuals acting disorderly and obstructing vehicular traffic,” an NYPD spokesperson wrote in a statement, adding that officers responded to 911 calls about blocked hospital access.
A separate image circulating online showed an NYPD officer and a masked ICE agent inside the hospital with the detained man, prompting questions about coordination.
The NYPD denied working with ICE, saying officers were not notified in advance and were responding to the protest.
Around 2 a.m., ICE agents were seen moving the detained man in handcuffs out of the facility as protesters tried to block their path.
Police pushed the crowd back as the agents placed the man into an SUV.
Nine people were arrested during the confrontation, according to police.
The NYPD said officers and at least one sergeant were treated for pepper spray exposure.
Witnesses disputed parts of the official account, alleging police assisted federal agents during the operation, while officials said officers later responded to a separate 911 call involving a disabled ICE vehicle nearby.
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment.
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