ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A protester was arrested in Orange County after tensions escalated outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Orlando.
The arrest happened as demonstrators gathered outside the ICE facility on Delegates Drive.
Channel 9 had a crew on the scene that witnessed the arrest. Dozens of law enforcement officers, who had staged nearby for the protest, responded within seconds to a call for backup.
Video from the scene shows whistles, sirens and protesters chanting as a person was handcuffed on the ground outside the facility. Another angle shows dozens of state troopers surrounding the protester and blocking the street.
The Orange County Sheriff’s office said the protest was almost exclusively peaceful until a woman approached a federal agent who was in a car and struck the law enforcement vehicle. She was arrested on charges of Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer and Resisting Arrest.
Protesters said the arrest followed a verbal exchange with a federal agent who was inside their car.
Just hours earlier, Channel 9 witnessed the arrestee peacefully protesting alongside others. Demonstrators said they were opposing what they described as an escalation of aggressive ICE tactics.
Many protesters said they were responding to a story Channel 9 broke earlier this month about ICE considering converting a warehouse in Orlando into a detention center. They also told Channel 9 they were responding to what they called “aggressive tactics” used by ICE in Minneapolis and in Central Florida.
“They need to block the acquisition of that warehouse. And we need to make it very clear that our jails are not a holding point for these nonviolent immigrants,” said John Held, who was part of the protest before the arrest.
The protest began at noon and was peaceful for several hours. During that time, law enforcement’s presence was visible with officers on bikes and in vehicles circling the area about every 30 minutes.
At least one counterprotester stood roughly 200 yards away, holding a Trump flag and yelling at demonstrators.
Orange County Republican Party Vice Chairman Kevin Kelly said he was supporting ICE’s mission.
“I just hope that people put more effort into positive actions like solving the absolute evil human trafficking problem that we have here and work together to solve those problems rather than running interference for folks that have broken the law,” said Kelly.
He also told Channel 9 he would support the detention center if ICE needed it to pursue law enforcement.
“We wanna be known as a safe, clean, fun place to bring your family on vacation. And if that means that there needs to be a detention center so they could adequately and safely process not only these offenders, but deal with again with these victims of human trafficking, then that seems like a necessary tool,” said Kelly.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office released the following statement about the arrest:
“At the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, our top priority is the safety and security of our residents and visitors, and the safety of our deputies.
Earlier today, during what was almost an exclusively peaceful protest at the ICE facility, a woman approached a federal agent who was in a car and struck the law enforcement vehicle. She was arrested on charges of Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer and Resisting Arrest.
The right of all people to peacefully assemble or protest is fundamental, and a cornerstone of every American’s First Amendment right to free speech. What is not protected, however, is the destruction of property or violence against any member of our community. Any attempt to assault, stop, block, or otherwise hinder any law enforcement officers from doing their jobs will not be tolerated. I want to assure everyone in our community that our deputies will always respond to ensure the safety of those who are exercising their rights peacefully.”
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