BEND, Ore. (NBC) – Two people were arrested after protesters blocked two unmarked ICE buses in Oregon.
Cell phone video captured protesters sitting as they surrounded the buses at the Crane Shed Commons parking lot in Bend.
It all started around 1:00 p.m. Wednesday when one protester stepped in front of the bus while live on Facebook. The livestream quickly went viral with hundreds of people joining the protest.
After nearly 12 hours of the sit-in, roughly two dozen National Guard soldiers in tactical gear stepped in, clearing out the area.
The agency said there was a medical emergency on-board one of the bus and they needed to remove the six people on-board.
Pepper spray was deployed to move in on the crowd and get to the bus.
Two detainees on the bus were arrested and taken into custody.
An ICE spokesperson put out a statement reading:
“The law enforcement activity in Bend, Oregon is part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s mission to arrest criminal aliens presenting a danger to public safety and take them off the street. The two individuals arrested each had a history of criminal violent behavior.
“While ICE respects the rights of people to voice their opinion peacefully, that does not include illegally interfering with their federal law enforcement duties. ICE will take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its officers and detainees, and will vigorously pursue prosecution against anyone who puts them in harm’s way.”
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