16 people arrested in Friday night ICE protests in Phoenix

BrieAnna J. Frank
Police arrested 16 people who protested outside outside the Phoenix ICE office on Friday evening, days ahead of immigration raids planned for Sunday.

PHOENIX — Sixteen people were arrested during a Friday night protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) roundups that shut down traffic in central Phoenix and led to officers being assaulted, police said.

The demonstrators spilled onto the street in front of the Phoenix ICE office about 8:30 p.m., after a 90-minute gathering at a nearby church.

More than a dozen protesters began marching, forcing Phoenix police to block traffic while warning the protesters over a loud speaker they could face arrest. Many other protesters lined the side of the street, but more then joined in blocking traffic.

The group carried signs and shouted slogans calling for justice on behalf of migrants who are seeking asylum.

Police said the protesters were creating an unlawful assembly and gave repeated warnings to people that they could face arrest, but waited as many eventually left the street.

The protest largely disbanded by 11 p.m. and roadways and the light rail were reopened to the public.

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No injuries were reported, said Phoenix police spokeswoman Sgt. Mercedes Fortune.

The Phoenix event, along with more than 10 others across Arizona, was organized by a group called AZ Resist, according to one of the group's leaders, Julie Golding.

Crowds turned out in Tucson and Flagstaff, as well as in Eloy, near the ICE detention center; and in Show Low, where about 60 people lined the sidewalks.

The protests come amid reports of mistreatment to migrants housed in ICE detention centers. This week, underaged migrants at a Yuma Border Patrol facility reported poor conditions and allegations of misconduct, including sexual assault by some of the agents.

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President Donald Trump has vowed to begin rounding up undocumented migrants starting Sunday in 10 U.S. cities. Phoenix is not included among those cities disclosed by federal officials.

Fortune said the department arrested:

  • 29-year-old Ian Larkin

  • 29-year-old Redeem Robinson

  • 62-year-old Jorge Soria

  • 29-year-old Angeles Maldonado

  • 23-year-old Andrea Bailey

  • 29-year-old Sofia Dancel

  • 27-year-old Jose Conchas

  • 22-year-old Lerman Montoya

  • 38-year-old Phil Martinez

  • 24-year-old Amanda Benjamin

  • 23-year-old Samuel Torres

  • 20-year-old Kaelen Ebata

  • 22-year-old Jessica Bristow

  • 27-year-old Annestello Pedreiro

  • 21-year-old Jakob Beskind

  • 34-year-old Jamaar Williams

All of them were arrested on suspicion of unlawful assembly and obstructing a public thoroughfare, police said. Fortune said Beskind and Williams were also booked on suspicion of aggravated assault on a police officer.

She added that Beskind and Williams attempted to prevent officers from arresting other suspects.Reach the reporter at bfrank@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter @brieannafrank.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix police identify 16 people arrested in Friday ICE protest