Federal agents and city police in St. Paul, Minnesota, clashed with a crowd Tuesday afternoon in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood, where law enforcement deployed chemical irritants onto the gathering protesters. 

The crowd started to gather around the residential street near Payne and Rose avenues late Tuesday morning. Masked federal agents, as well as St. Paul police officers, were at the scene.

Tuesday evening, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said ICE agents arrested a man from Honduras who they claim had previously been removed from the country.

At first, there was only verbal pushback, but then a WCCO crew filmed several people as they surrounded a white van at the intersection, and the driver of the vehicle deployed a chemical spray into the crowd. WCCO's Conor Wight said tear gas canisters were also deployed as St. Paul police vehicles tried to exit the scene.

People from the crowd also threw items at officers and law enforcement vehicles, Wight said, and law enforcement responded by deploying pepper balls. St. Paul police also deployed chemical irritants, he said.

As the police left, EMTs arrived to treat those hurt.

"It's like burning everything. Your eyes, your lungs, your nose if you don't have a mask on," said Vivian Tran, a neighborhood community organizer. "Why are the police using this? Why is Homeland Security using this? This is chemical warfare."

The Department of Homeland Security alleges one protester "weaponized their vehicle and rammed an ICE law enforcement vehicle" before fleeing on foot. The department says they were later arrested.

"You will not stop us or slow us down," a spokesperson for the department said in a statement to WCCO. "ICE and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law."

St. Paul police confirmed one person was cited and released for obstruction of justice in connection with the protest.

Council member among those gassed by police

City Council member Hwa Jeong Kim, who represents the the area, said she was "horrified" by the actions of city police.

"This is completely unacceptable," Kim said. "The St. Paul Police Department work for us, every single person on this street, that's who they work for. Their job is to keep us safe."

Kim said that she, along with other elected leaders, were tear gassed by St. Paul officers.

"I think residents should be infuriated by this action today," Kim said.

Police chief confirms use of chemicals on crowd

St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said in a statement released early Tuesday evening his officers were called in to assist federal agents after reports of a "vehicle struck" with an agent inside, and reports of protesters arming themselves with rocks and sticks. 

Henry said officers stood between demonstrators and agents, and confirmed their use of chemical irritants, adding that no arrests were made by his department and a comprehensive review will follow.

Henry said in a WCCO interview last week that the city's police force does "not do anything that is solely immigration focused."

He said the officers would not go and assist a federal immigration-only detail, but would help federal agents if a situation escalated and people were committing crimes surrounding the incident.

"I've been very clear since January, if you see a St. Paul badge or a logo, it's not an immigration detail but also, if a federal agent gets on the radio and screams for help, we are going to help," Henry said. "Our separation ordinance very clearly says we cooperate with our federal partners."

St. Paul mayor, governor react

Mayor Melvin Carter came to the scene and said he also had questions about the events that unfolded. 

"We're going to have to get to the bottom of this, and we will," Carter said, adding that every officer in a St. Paul uniform was wearing a body camera.

Carter says he has spoken with the police chief and initiated a full review of any use of force by St. Paul police officers.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz released a statement Tuesday afternoon, saying in part: "We received no heads up from federal authorities on this operation," Walz said. "While we are always willing to work together on public safety, that is clearly not what this chaotic situation was about."

Last week, federal agents raided Bro-Tex, Inc., a paper distribution company in St. Paul and arrested 14 people on "immigration operations." The U.S. Department of Homeland Security declined to say what charges the 14 people face.

WCCO cameras captured a physical confrontation between federal agents at the Bro-Tex facility, some of them wearing FBI and DEA regalia, and protesters. Agents deployed a chemical irritant on the crowd, and physically removed some community members who were blocking four federal vehicles from leaving.