Long Beach protesters demand leaders do more after U.S. citizen injured during ICE operation

Protesters gathered outside of Long Beach City Hall on Tuesday, days after video captured the moments a local man's arm was broken during an encounter with immigration agents over the weekend, to demand more action from city leaders. 

"They broke someone's arm; we're lucky it didn't escalate further," one resident said during Tuesday's city council meeting, during which the protesters continued to voice their concerns and demands for ICE to get out of Long Beach. 

"Immigrant communities deserve to be here, they helped build this country, and it's absolutely upsetting that this can happen in a state like California," said Ernesto Huerta, a labor organizer. 

Video from Saturday's encounter, captured via one onlooker's cellphone, shows ICE agents on top of Ricardo Gonzalez, a former city worker and U.S. citizen, as he screams in pain and tries to tell them that his arm is broken. 

In a statement on Tuesday, Department of Homeland Security officials said that Gonzalez was arrested after he allegedly smashed the mirror of a government vehicle as "anti-ICE agitators" threatened officers and "attempted to impede" their attempts to arrest an "at-large criminal illegal alien."

"I think it's awful. I mean, it's clear from the video that he was riding his bike down the street, and these guys were speeding down a one-way street," said Long Beach resident Stacie Straw. "He broke their mirror because they ran over him. They collided with him."

DHS officials say they are investigating charges against Gonzalez for the damage to their SUV. 

Meanwhile, Long Beach city leaders have taken to social media to speak out against the encounter. 

"Another terrible abuse of power by ICE in our streets," said a statement from Senator Adam Schiff. "How many more citizens will suffer abuse or die from ICE actions before Republicans in Congress can be convinced to help rein in this out-of-control agency?"

Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson has also filed a formal complaint against DHS, demanding accountability and an independent investigation. 

Some residents say they need more from leaders. 

"The situations that we're put in nowadays, it could be any of us. It doesn't matter if you're documented, undocumented," said Viviana Aguilera. 

A GoFundMe for Gonzalez, organized by his daughter, says he's still being treated for serious injuries.