Two protesters who blocked ICE in lower Manhattan charged with felony assault as cops injured

Colin Mixson and John Annese, New York Daily News on Dec 1, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Two protesters who joined an effort to block a planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdown on Canal Street in lower Manhattan were charged with felony assault after injuring two officers trying to control the crowd, prosecutors said.

The two were among a total of 18 arrested during a chaotic protest that included forming a human chain and using garbage cans and planters to block ICE agents trying to leave a Lower East Side garage. Activists had learned of the gathering point for a planned, large-scale ICE operation and converged on the garage Saturday.

ICE called the NYPD to deal with the protesters, who were issued multiple warnings to disperse. After an exit from the garage was cleared, officers were recorded pepper-spraying demonstrators as they chased the departing motorcade, throwing debris and garbage from a nearby dumpster at the vehicles.

One of the two protesters facing felony charges, Natalia Arai, 37, kicked a garbage can that struck one officer in the left leg, causing a laceration, court documents show. Arai was charged with second-degree assault and resisting arrest.

Another officer suffered “substantial pain and bruising” after 26-year-old Asif Ali shoved a wooden pallet into his foot, a criminal complaint reads. Ali was charged with second degree assault.

After the protest, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told Ricky Patel, Department of Homeland Security special agent in charge of the New York field office that the way the situation unfolded was “unacceptable,” a source with knowledge of the conversation said.

“ICE has tried this twice with these shows of force that are intended to cause chaos and disorder on our streets, but all they are doing is putting the public, federal agents and her cops in harm’s way,” the source said. “She warned them that this needs to stop because, if it happens again, someone will get hurt and it will be entirely on them.”

Because of New York’s sanctuary city law, the NYPD is barred from helping the feds with civil immigration enforcement, but cops can be called in if a crime or violation is being committed, such as protesters blocking sidewalks or stopping traffic.

Two others arrested by the NYPD, Symmes Cannon, 20, and Eli Sairs, 40, were charged with misdemeanors.

Cannon faces multiple counts of trespassing for stepping into the garage where ICE agents were trapped, prosecutors said. Symmes is charged with reckless endangerment, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct for allegedly throwing a garbage bag at a police officer, court documents show.

Arai, Ali, Cannon and Symmes all pleaded not guilty and were released without bail following their arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court on Sunday. Attorneys with Legal Aid representing the four defendants did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The remaining 14 protesters who were arrested received desk appearance tickets and were released.

The scheduled ICE operation was believed to be similar to one that occurred on Canal Street a month ago when agents, in a surprise raid, swooped in to target illegal street vendors. The protesters on Saturday managed to locate ICE’s rallying point — the garage — and quickly alerted fellow protesters to join them, sources said.

The day after the melee, politicians including Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, city Comptroller Brad Lander and City Council members Sandy Nurse and Crystal Hudson spoke in support of the protesters at a rally at Howard and Centre streets in Chinatown, near the garage where activists blocked ICE agents from leaving.

“There is no reason they should be charged standing up for our constitutional rights, standing up for our First Amendment rights, and standing up for vulnerable New Yorkers,” Nurse said at the rally.

_____