Eight people arrested after protest erupts as ICE detains man at Brooklyn hospital

Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News on May 3, 2026

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ICE agents brought a man they had detained to a Brooklyn hospital, sparking a chaotic protest in which nine people were arrested, police said Sunday.

Video of the scene shows ICE agents dragging a man outside Wykoff Heights Medical Center in Bushwick, where a large crowd of protesters quickly gathered, about 10:35 p.m. Saturday. One of the protesters can be seen throwing a plastic trash bin.

ICE agents arrested Chidozie Wilson Okeke, a Nigerian man “with previous arrests for assault and drug criminal drug possession” who agents said had overstayed his visa, ABC7 New York reported.

“During his arrest, Okeke refused to comply with officers’ lawful commands to exit the vehicle and weaponized his vehicle to attempt to hit ICE officers,” the ICE spokesperson told the station.

“Okeke became physically combative, attempting to punch and elbow ICE officers. Our officers followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to make the arrest.”

Okeke requested medical assistance and was brought to the hospital, the spokesperson said.

An NYPD spokesperson said that the NYPD was not involved with the ICE operation but was called to the scene when the crowd became disorderly. Eight people were arrested and have been charged with offenses including resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration and criminal mischief, police said. A ninth person was given a desk appearance ticket to appear in court at a later date.

Councilwoman Sandy Nurse, who represents the neighborhood, says she was at the hospital from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., disagreed with the NYPD’s characterization of the situation.

“What I witnessed during the discharge appeared to be direct coordination between ICE and the NYPD, with officers cordoning off the ambulance bay to allow ICE to move the individual into their vehicles and leave,” Nurse said on social media.

“Word spread fast that ICE had brought someone they detained to the ER to be treated for injuries related to their kidnapping. New Yorkers showed up immediately. We did not have any information about the person ICE had detained, although we tried many times to get information. After roughly five hours, the detainee was discharged.”

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(With Rocco Parascandola)