Protesters Surround San Francisco ICE Offices Over Raids
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – Demonstrators blocked streets outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in San Francisco Wednesday afternoon to protest recent ICE raids.
Hundreds of people blocked Sansome Street between Washington and Jackson in the city's Financial District, calling for the end of immigration-related arrests.
One group of protesters gathered outside the entrance to the building on Sansome. Another group blocked the intersection of Jackson and Sansome, surrounding a message chalked onto the pavement which read "Bay Area United Against ICE! Keep Families Together."
At least 150 undocumented immigrants throughout Northern California have been arrested in the raids, which began taking place on Sunday.
The acting director of ICE said at least 800 people wanted by authorities remain at large, and criticized Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf for publicly warning immigrants about the impending raids before they took place.
ICE issued a statement late Wednesday afternoon saying it supports the rights of all people to protest peacefully, and that agents do not conduct sweeps or raids that target people indiscriminately.