Two protestors arrested for felony assault after blocking ICE in lower Manhattan, resulting in injuries to police officers.
Amid heightened tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in New York City, a protest on November 29, 2025, culminated in violent skirmishes between demonstrators and law enforcement. The demonstration sought to obstruct a planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation targeting illegal street vendors on Canal Street in lower Manhattan.
According to prosecutors, two protesters, Natalia Arai, 37, and Asif Ali, 26, have been charged with felony assault after injuring police officers attempting to manage the unrest. A total of 18 individuals were arrested during the protest. The demonstrators formed a human chain and used garbage cans and planters to impede ICE agents attempting to depart from a nearby garage. Activists had reportedly received intelligence concerning the location of the planned ICE operation and mobilized to the area in response.
New York Police Department (NYPD) were summoned by ICE to handle the situation, as demonstrators were issued several warnings to disperse. Once the exit from the garage had been cleared, reports indicated that officers resorted to using pepper spray on protesters as tensions escalated. In the chaotic aftermath, protesters allegedly hurled debris from a nearby dumpster at the fleeing ICE vehicles.
Court documents outline the specific actions leading to the felony charges. Arai is accused of kicking a garbage can that struck an officer, resulting in a leg injury. Ali reportedly caused injuries to another officer by pushing a wooden pallet into his foot, leading to claims of substantial pain and bruising. Both Arai and Ali have since entered not guilty pleas.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, New York’s sanctuary city laws restrict NYPD’s participation in civil immigration enforcement, permitting police involvement only when crimes or violations are in progress, such as obstructing traffic or sidewalks. In the wake of the protest, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch conveyed her dissatisfaction regarding the incident to a Department of Homeland Security official, labeling the situation as unacceptable and emphasizing the potential dangers it posed to the public and law enforcement.
Subsequent to the protest, the arrested individuals, including Arai and Ali, were released without bail after their arraignment. Others charged include Symmes Cannon, 20, facing multiple counts of trespassing, and Eli Sairs, 40, charged with reckless endangerment. Following the protests, a number of local officials expressed their support for the demonstrators, framing their actions as a defense of constitutional rights amid concerns over ICE’s operational conduct.
As the landscape of immigration enforcement remains contentious, the implications of this protest reflect ongoing debates around law enforcement, civil rights, and community safety in a sanctuary city setting.
