Tempers flared Tuesday night as federal agents carried out a joint Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdown on illegal street vendors on New York City’s Canal Street, according to law enforcement officials.
NewsCopter 7 showed arrests taking place between Lafayette and Center streets in Chinatown, an area typically crowded with merchants selling designer knockoffs, T-shirts, handbags and perfumes, as New Yorkers faced off against federal agents.
The scene grew chaotic as vendors packed up their tables and attempted to flee, with several people seen running and falling as authorities from multiple agencies, including Homeland Security, ICE, DEA and the FBI, pursued them.
As agents tried to detain individuals, crowds gathered, shouting and pushing in an attempt to intervene. Some bystanders were heard cursing at officers, one officer was seen pointing his taser at the angry crowd and several arrests were made…