Federal immigration agents clashed with about 20 protestors outside the San Francisco’s immigration courthouse Tuesday morning, trying to stop them from blocking the building’s entrance with their bodies and bikes.
Agents used pepper spray, shoved people to the ground, and, in one instance, brandished a rifle. A black SUV carrying a detained immigrant sped through half a dozen protesters crowded near its front. A woman holding onto its hood was thrown off.
The clash started at 11:18 a.m. on Tuesday when about 10 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, almost all with faces covered, tried to enter the courthouse at 100 Montgomery St. They were there to escort other agents already inside, who had a young immigrant man in custody.
ICE has been routinely arresting asylum seekers following their immigration hearings, and anti-ICE protesters had gathered at the courthouse that morning, as they said they’ve been doing every Tuesday.
The agents struggled for over a minute to open the building’s front door when protesters formed a chain across its entrance.
ICE agents, several of whom appeared to be the same officers who fought with protesters two weeks ago, screamed, “Fuck you!” and “Get back!” while pushing protesters with their batons.
They jostled over bicycles people were using to block the entrance, as high-pitched screams rang out. Protesters wearing keffiyehs shouted “Fuck you, puto!” — using the Spanish word for “bitch” — before swarming onto the ICE agents exiting the building with the handcuffed man.
Protesters tried to grab the man and pull him away from officers, but were tossed back by the ICE agents. As police pulled the man back into a waiting black SUV and began driving away, protesters jumped onto the van’s front hood.
A half-dozen protesters blocked the van by amassing in front of it. The van inched forward before gaining speed and driving off quickly. One protester, still lying on the hood of the car, fell off the car’s hood half a block away and was almost run over.
“Oh shit!” one protester screamed, seeing her fall. “Jesus Christ.”
There have been several clashes between protesters and ICE agents this year in San Francisco, but this was the most violent here to date.
The arrest of the man at immigration court was confirmed by Milli Atkinson, an immigration specialist with the Bar Association of San Francisco. Lawyers with the Rapid Response Network are responding, Atkinson said.
Federal agents then proceeded to walk the eight blocks back to ICE headquarters at 630 Sansome St., as protesters dogged them and chanted, “ICE out of the Bay.” Several San Francisco police officers, who had gathered at the immigration courthouse earlier that morning, walked behind the group.
One protester rode alongside the moving convoy on his bike, yelling “ICE out the Bay!” and “You should be ashamed of yourselves!” as onlookers at every street and adjoining coffee shop stopped what they did to watch the moving brawl.
An ICE agent, wearing a light gray shirt beneath his vest, pepper sprayed one protester at Market and Montgomery streets. The man quickly collapsed, and others gathered around him, holding his head up and pouring water over his face, telling him not to touch his eyes.
The agent who used the pepper spray then appeared to be held back by his colleagues, as they kept walking back to ICE headquarters. He stared down a protester in a red keffiyeh for blocks of the walk, who was saying, “You’re a traitor” and “Your parents were immigrants, asshole.”
Protesters screamed, “Your grandchildren are going to learn not to be like you.” At one point, an ICE agent addressed a protester, saying, “Just keep a distance. We get it, all right? We get it.”
A protestor responded, “If you get it, why are you doing this?”
“You know that’s not what I meant,” the agent said.
At 11:50 a.m., just a block away from ICE headquarters, where half a dozen agents were still surrounded by a similar number of protesters, an agent warned protesters that they could be arrested. He then moved forward and tried to arrest two protesters, pushing them into a wall.
Another uniformed ICE agent stepped out of an unmarked police van at 11:53 a.m. and pointed a matte black rifle at protestors and press, including this reporter, screaming, “Get the fuck back!” An SFPD officer stood by and watched from a distance.
The crowd backed off after managing to free protesters held by agents. One ICE officer yelled, “We’ll get you next time!” while walking backward.
The ICE agents retreated the following block, and entered 630 Sansome St. Outside, a line of approximately 20 people had gathered for immigration check-ins and removal court hearings. They stared at protesters and agents, largely silent.
Phenomenal coverage from Mission Local. Scrolled down and it’s an intern! Incredible photos and reporting. Well done, and thankyou.
I admire these brave protesters!
It is a miracle that no one appears to have been seriously injured or worse.
This melee did not turn into a Boston Massacre, but it was a clear indication of the direction this country is taking.
We don’t want bloodshed, but neither do we want people to allow evil to flourish by doing nothing.
Almost 250 years after the birth our country, the government that Abraham Lincoln told us was born “of the people, by the people, for the people” is quickly metastasizing into a dictatorship replete with gestapo thugs relying on brute, stupid, and lawless force.
There is one way to really stop this national nightmare:
San Franciscans can lead the nation by having neighbors, families, and friends join together to engage in a city-wide general strike!
Workers should not go to work. Students should stay at home. We have the people, resourcefulness, and soul power to make a general strike a success here!
It wouldn’t be easy, but it is doable.
Imagine the oligarchs, who are now hijacking our republic, melting away into the oblivion of their wickedness!
Perhaps the national law enforcement agency could contact local agencies to learn better ways to protect themselves, their custodies, and the community in the course of their duties?
Thank you to ML for reporting on this, ICE is state-sponsored terrorism. Please look after your selves – getting weapons aimed at you/used against you can cause trauma. You all are doing such important and unique journalism, SF needs you! .
Fucking cowards, the lot of them. If they were actually proud of the work they were doing they wouldn’t cover their faces. They are afraid and embarrassed, as they should be. So proud of the protestors who are making these ICE agents lives miserable. Keep up the good work and fight the good fight 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I should add that it is obvious why the protestors cover their faces. To avoid arrest or detention so they can continue to fight another day.
Really good, fact-based, detailed, balanced reporting. Super important. Also heard you on KPFA this evening. Thanks so much for continuing to cover this story.
Reminds me of the mobs that would storm courthouses to try to free recaptured enslaved people and abolitionists.
Protester didn’t just ‘fall off’ She was in front of the vehicle then as it speed up she was hanging for dear life and when she did fall to the ground the immigration vehicle purposely RAN HER OVER and DRAGGED her across the intersection!!!! It didn’t stop, just slowed and then sped off.
What happened to this woman?!! It looked like she was fully run over!
I do love that SFPD is nowhere in sight. Let ICE clean up their own house. Though the flip-side of that is that the ICE agent behind the wheel of that car should be arrested.
Nice work, Frankie. Smart move getting around the other side of the car and keeping an angle on the action. The woman tossed off the car has a lawsuit, if so desired. Your video would be exhibit #1.
Thank you to the protestors and the Mission Local reporters. These actions need to be shown to the world. The Ice agents are unprofessional, untrained, vigilantes who do the bidding of our current government. The Democratic Party needs to wake up and demand change and force the government to go by the laws and procedures. This rounding up of immigrants for no reason whatsoever needs to stop.
we need all eligible voters to vote in the next elections, enough politicians who are not trump follower MAGA so that there can be some actual checks and balance to this abuse of power. they don’t necessarily need to be old out of touch self-interested democrats to do the will of the people. Might be better if they are not already bought by corporations and the billionaire class.
For what it’s worth, the ice agents did show a ton of restraint and did not use their Billy clubs to bash the heads of the protesters. They basically were just pushing folks out of the way and not punching. Guessing that is part of their strategy.
Why do the ICE agents hide their faces like the Klan – cowards embarrassed to be recognized. I hope this hits the main news – sadly there will be more of this with passing of increasing the ICE Budget. Deplorable
Masked like our local thugs, either because they know they are breaking some laws, either because they are scared some people want to pay them a visit at home. Kidnapping people like in 1936 Germany.Wake up America.
Inspiring! I never realized being a good screamer is a such a functional act of advocacy! Great soundtrack! ICE police demonstrate their excellent attotude!! Thank you to the resisters!
I thank you for covering this such an controversial issue where entitled folks feel they have every right to be above the law and get all the benefits of a tax working American And they feel they cB get it all for free not going through the legal procedures and bi laws that United States has and must be respected. In all , l wonder Where is the National Guard protecting this officers that can clearly get hurt and their lives are being endangered unnecessary if they would have the needed protection against all this vandals? This is off limits and l feel if they block and disturb the peace, the national guard should close the areas and Arrest all of them and make sure their nails be no less then 500k because they should be consider domestic terrorists . Please lets keep America safe and protected .
How can what they are doing be legal?
Hi – thank you for your coverage. There were six DHS agents outside the Ferry Building entrance yesterday morning August 25, 2025. They was no reason for them to be there. I don’t want them in or community kidnapping and brutalizing our people. If they are there again today or during this week, I will take photos and send them to you.
Death to the fascist insect that preys upon the lives of the people.
Huey Newton
A rule of thumb of revolutionary politics is:
“No matter how hard the task of making REVOLUTION may seem, the means of making REVOLUTION are always near at hand.”
sigh. That’s a minivan not a suv.
the people that are protesting should go and protest at their own countries, and try to change things there they should go and damage things in their countries. all those people don’t they have jobs to be at instead of cause all that trouble
Correction…They had a young ILLEGAL immigrant man in custody. Please at least make an attempt to be factual and unbiased. Also, the Ice agents must wear masks because there are people who will target them and their families for violence. Your one sided approach is not good journalism. I would never support youl.
Why aren’t courts giving asylum seekers opportunity to report for their appointments via remote video (e.g., zoom)? Asylum applicants have to report on their assigned court dates, but can’t if they are under threat of detention and deportation. Asylum seekers have a case for arguing they cannot safely keep their appointments due to hostile ICE agents.
Ice agents wearing body armor should not surprise. Democratically protesters in Texas opened fire recently at ICE and Police with automatic weapons! Masks? Protesters are doxing ICE agents in order to attack them and their families at home.
This doesn’t seem to happen very often in open-carry states. If you ‘brandish’ a weapon in someone’s direction here you are likely to take a few rounds, and not to your armour.
People in uniforms running around is weird
Ice should be going out and arresting the drug dealers and addicts
They surely have some mental pathology going on and are not that bright
.
They are the ones ruining everyones well being in this city
NY Times picks up Frankie’s photos. He’s a rock star.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/09/us/ice-immigration-protest-san-francisco.html
Dork Fielding lives in his parents’ basement, trying to figure out if he should be an incel or an immigration officer.Don’t pay attention, he is just seeking that.
Where is the mayor? L.A. mayor Karen Bass was on the scene immediately at the disgraceful ICE follies in MacArthur Park.
They ran over her with their vehicle and fled the scene. Those folks weren’t “attacking,” they were trying to prevent an illegal kidnapping!
You can really fight the current fascist policies by trying to use normal bureaucratic means. Even supreme court rulings have just been ignored.
What is happening now cannot be compared to immigration policies that existed just a short while ago. We are in an extreme situation and at this point, direct action is Needed to prevent more abductions.
Great coverage! Thank you for bringing us the truth about what’s happening!
Thank you for your reporting and thank you to the people of San Francisco for standing up to this atrocious, violent regime. Your bravery is amazing and will spark more bravery.
I think that what ICE is doing is abhorrent and pretty pathetic. Arresting people who are trying to follow the law? Way to go, Jethro. And this whole hiding behind masks business is shameful. If you’re proud of the work you’re doing, let’s see those pearly whites! But at the same time, I am not at all impressed with the protesters’ actions here. Creating violence and havoc is not the answer. Newsflash: you aren’t going to out-violence the federal government. It is a losing battle and it is just going to escalate until either people get killed and/or the Orange Man decides to send the National Guard into SF. I don’t want to live under military occupation, and neither do you (I assume) so why are we provoking him? It seems like once ICE gets their mitts on one of these immigrants, it is game over for them, even if there is a riot to try to stop it. It sucks, but that is where we are. So why not come up with a more peaceful solution/protest? Will it prevent the abduction? No, but violence won’t either. Non-violent protest would certainly give protesters the moral high ground and a win in the court of public opinion, and it seems to me that that is the only way to bring this injustice to an end: get enough people to say Enough is Enough.
my 2 cents. . .
Funny how they are targeting Americans in Mexico City with violence and telling them to “Speak spanish or die”…. Why are we allowing border jumpers in the USA now? They sure think they have a right to target Americans in Mexico…
you condone kidnapping people in the USA and sending them to places where they don’t speak the language, tearing apart families, and ignoring constitutional rights but are complaining when people protest gentrification pricing them out of their own communities because there are remote workers making housing and living costs skyrocket in Mexico?
This particular incident looks like an awful mess and several protesters seem to have been hurt. However, the protesters who apparently tried to separate the detainee from ICE should not have done so, in my opinion. Imagine the state of mind of a person who has just received a negative decision about their case, only to be manhandled by both ICE and the public while trying to digest whether they can appeal, will be put into a cell, or will be saying goodbye to family and friends and packing up their lives to leave the US within weeks. I’m not sympathetic to ICE acting brutally or scooping up undocumented people at work sites, churches, schools, etc., but unfortunately, immigration law is very strict about how a petitioner must comply with the system’s decisions. Perhaps volunteering with legal aid funds for the undocumented or getting an education about how the path to legal residence or citizenship in the US really works would be a better use of protesters’ efforts. (Written by someone who legally sponsored an immigrant to the US successfully, and waited 4 long years for that person to gain US citizenship.)
Word has it ICE agents have been pulled from pursuing criminals to go participate in these kinds of enforcement performances (camera crews in tow at times). In case you wondered how Hondos a few blocks away keep dealing Fent and Meth seemingly with impunity.
I wonder how long it will be for San Franciscans—well, the “protesters”, that is—to grasp that the federal government has plenary power on matters of immigration. It really is that simple. Get over it. It would also help if they understood the fundamental difference between legal and illegal immigration. But they don’t. Or won’t. Many people in SF are just not used to laws actually being enforced. Quite a surprise, isn’t it! If you don’t like that, then work to change the laws, but violence and criminal behavior is not the right approach. Fully in support of ICE, DOJ, DHS, etcetera.
You do realize they are taking and kidnapping people who are here through legal means who do have green cards and visas! Hell, they’re even pulling United States citizens off the street. So yes, we need to stand up. We need to push back. We need to say this is wrong and the world is watching! We will not allow a Gestapo to wreak havoc and send fear through our communities!
or just gather everyone together at the capital when the president pushes the big lie that the election was stolen and attack the legislators who are certifying the results and then after losing court hearing after court hearing because there is no evidence of election tampering, just pardon everyone who was involved in the attack. if you get enough supreme court justices to take bribes to interpret the law however you want to, it doesn’t matter what the law says.
They are RIPPING APART FAMILIES. Taking the breadwinner who many have been here for decades and who is following the rules and kidnapping them and sending them to concentration camps. I hope you do not live near me. Grow a heart.
The U.S. has the right to deport non-citizens. It always has. Just because this shocks you or you don’t agree with it doesn’t give you the right to interfere. These self-righteous “protestors” are not the heros they seem to think they are.
These people are going to court hearings per the law. The US is not deporting. They are kidnapping and sending to concentration camps. No it doesn’t shock me, but your lack of information does shock me indeed. The word is heroes not heros and no they are not trying to be heroes but trying to protect the innocent. You are uninformed.
‘Concentration camps’ – where is there an Auschwitz in the US?
This has been performed peacefully by ICE for about 20 years at this exact location. Let go, hippies.
Deportation is violent. And abducting people who are trying to follow the rules and go to their hearings is a new escalation that San Franciscans are right to reject and challenge.
Very good name, but maybe Dork Bootlicker or Dork American Traitor would fit you better
the difference now from years ago is that it’s happening unlawfully, you idiot bootlicker.
Dork, you are incorrect. I am an immigration lawyer of 25 years. This has not been occurring until Trump. An arrest of a person voluntarily appearing for a hearing at the court was a rare event that typically only happened in extraordinary circumstances, such as a serious unresolved criminal history (for example an outstanding criminal warrant.) Get your facts straight, Dork.
Hm, it’s almost like something changed recently to make these people angry, what could it possibly be? So enigmatic.
Agree but I don’t know why… they just got trillions of tax dollars including huge bonuses didn’t they?
Detainments are happening unlawfully, that’s the difference, you idiot.