At least 1 injured, 17 arrested in Chicago anti-ICE protest as more demonstrations, raids possible

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Thousands marched downtown Chicago Tuesday, protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests nationwide. At least one person was injured, as a car sped through a crowd at one point.

There was also some vandalism reported, and Chicago police said at least 17 people were arrested.

The city is bracing for more demonstrations in the coming days, including one planned at Daley Plaza on Thursday as more ICE raids are expected in Chicago too.

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The 66-year-old Chicago woman who was injured said she and her husband were toward the rear of the demonstration Tuesday night, when they saw the car speeding toward them.

In a matter of seconds, she says she was on the ground, dazed.

"I was feeling pain in my arm and just like 'what happened?'" Heather Blair said.

Blair has scrapes to her face, and her left arm is now in a sling, after she says she was injured during the frantic moments a car sped through a group of anti-ICE demonstrators in the Loop.

"If a car is upset with a crowd. They usually go slowly and honk, right? They don't accelerate," Blair said.

Blair says she and her husband were part of the thousands of people packing the Loop Tuesday night, voicing their anger and frustration with ICE raids locally and across the country.

She says the demonstration felt different than previous protests she says she joined.

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"It seemed high energy and maybe kind of tense," Blair said. "We kind of hung back at the back of the crowd."

Blair says she and her husband were walking in the street with other demonstrators around 6:20 p.m., when she said she saw a red car accelerating toward them.

She says in those frantic moments near Wabash Avenue and Monroe Street she doesn't remember if she was actually hit by the car or fell over in the pandemonium of the moment.

"The next thing I know, people are carrying me to the sidewalk and calling an ambulance," Blair said.

Blair said the Chicago Fire Department took her to nearby Northwestern Memorial Hospital in an ambulance for treatment.

"They put me in a collar because I struck my head; so, they wanted to make sure my spine and brain were OK," Blair said.

Blair says she fractured her left arm in the chaos.

She said she planned to demonstrate again this weekend, but doesn't know if she is going to be able to.

Chicago police did not immediately provide additional information about the driver in question.

Security expert Derek Mayer says CPD will be prepared to handle situations like that.

"Obviously bringing snow plows and other types of vehicle deterrent are the best option, but sometimes you don't have that time. And law enforcement officers are going to have to react," Mayer said.

17 arrested in Chicago protest

Chicago police confirmed that multiple people were arrested amid anti-ICE protests in the Loops.

Four people were charged with felonies, they are due in court on Wednesday.

Nathan Sol, 20, Yony Salgado, 33, Johnathan Ellison, 37 were all charged with aggravated battery of a peace officer.

Asnat Berestizhevsky, 27, was charged with criminal damage to government property, a misdemeanor, and one citation for resisting a police officer.

Police said charges were pending for two people.

Ten other people were charges with misdemeanors, mostly for reckless conduct.

One person was issued a citation for possession of paint with intent to deface.

Larger-scale ICE raids possible

The city is preparing for the potential of large-scale immigration raids in Chicago, including visits from ICE special response teams.

The mayor's chief of staff also said these raids could include tactics carried out last week in Los Angeles that led to the violent protests there.

More protests expected

The city is preparing for everything on Saturday. Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Police Department said the city has plenty of experience in handling larger protests.

Large crowds are expected to descend into downtown Chicago this weekend for protests against the Trump administration.

That protest is planned for noon on Saturday at Daley Plaza.

"The first and foremost goal and our responsibility is to keep everyone safe and to protect the rights of the people of this city and around the country. And so, constitutional policing is our becoming form of leadership, and we will continue to ensure that constitutional policing is carried out," Johnson said Wednesday. "There were concerns that people had about my administration leading into the DNC, a lot of hyperbolic concerns, quite frankly. And look, we demonstrated that we know how to protect people's right to assemble and to protect the Constitution."

The city is preparing additional police resources, as Tuesday's protest did have some scuffles.

The organizers of Saturday's protest are preparing, with safety training for their marshals, while also working with Chicago police to keep everyone safe.

"We do so with a commitment to the principles of non-violence, peaceful protest, and letting people express their First Amendment rights to their government," said Bill Mengebier, a board member with Indivisible Chicago. "We will have our trained safety marshals there; there will be some security people there, as well."

Security experts expect some barricades and snow plows around the area of the protest to avoid any issues like the vehicle driving through.

There was an amplified presence of lawyers and volunteers in the South Loop Wednesday, making sure people are coming and going from their immigration check-ins without any issue.

"These are your next-door neighbors; these are people that are looking at what's happening in our country, and saying, 'no, this is not the country we want to live in," Mengebier said.

Indivisible Chicago is organizing Saturday's "No Kings" rally.

Last week, several were taken into custody after believing they were going to a routine check-in.

Similar protests have happened in Los Angeles over the last several days, as ICE raids have been met with tensions there.

It's led the Trump administration to send in the National Guard and the U.S. Marines.

Chicago police said in a statement: "The Chicago Police Department will always work to protect those exercising their First Amendment Rights. With public safety as our top priority, our planning and training for First Amendment assemblies are rooted in constitutional policing and the safety of all those participating, working and living in the affected areas.

"CPD has had significant experience handling and successfully securing large demonstrations throughout the past few years, including those related to the war in Gaza and the 2024 Democratic National Convention. We will continue to do the same with all future large-scale demonstrations. As we protect these assemblies, we will not tolerate any criminal activity or violence. Those in violation of the law will be held accountable."