For a second consecutive night, Lower Manhattan saw protests following an immigration raid on Canal Street. Yesterday, a crowd of several hundred, according to amNewYork, marched from Foley Square through Chinatown and gathered outside the Federal Plaza, where detainees from the previous day’s operation were reportedly held. Among them, four individuals were U.S. citizens, according to U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman. Demonstrators supported the street vendors, chanting and calling for their release.
Tensions occurred when right-wing influencer Nick Shirly arrived. Shirly, known for a previous video featuring Canal Street vendors, entered the crowd twice, leading to confrontations that resulted in the arrest of two protesters. Shirly was not detained, with police confirming only the arrests of the two demonstrators.
Providing a firsthand account of the protests, Democracy Now! reported comments from Awa Ngam, a street vendor and U.S. citizen from Mauritania, who witnessed the crackdown and recounted a friend’s arrest. Ngam stated, "I always felt safe in America. I feel safe. I love coming to America. America is losing that, is losing that. And people have to say something. They have to not be scared. They have to stand up. It is — it is — the time is now."
