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NYPD officers issued multiple warnings ordering the crowd to disperse before moving in and placing the group under arrest. Those detained were charged with disorderly conduct and trespassing and transported by bus for processing.
Dante de Blasio was released later that evening with a summons and no bail, consistent with how other protesters were handled.
After his release, Dante told reporters that ICE was “operating like a rogue, authoritarian agency, snatching people, including many U.S. citizens, off the streets with impunity.”
Bill de Blasio Praises the Arrest
What happened next raised eyebrows across the political spectrum.
Instead of distancing himself from the incident, Bill de Blasio publicly applauded his son’s actions.
The former mayor posted on social media:
“Very proud of [Dante de Blasio] for taking a stand against ICE. And this father agrees: #AbolishICE.”
De Blasio previously called for the abolition of ICE during his failed 2020 presidential campaign, a position that drew heavy criticism even within his own party.
For many New Yorkers, the moment highlighted a glaring contradiction. The same politician who enjoyed full-time NYPD protection for himself and his family openly celebrated behavior that violated the law and targeted law enforcement.
A Family Shielded by Police While Attacking Police
The irony surrounding the arrest was impossible to ignore.
During his tenure as mayor from 2014 to 2021, Bill de Blasio and his family received round-the-clock taxpayer-funded police security. That protection continued even as he publicly supported efforts to defund the NYPD during the violent unrest of 2020.
At one point, his administration faced scrutiny after it was revealed that Dante’s security detail had been used to chauffeur him to college classes and personal appointments.
Now, the same family is actively protesting federal agents tasked with enforcing immigration law.
This was not the first time a de Blasio child had been arrested during a protest. Dante’s sister Chiara was arrested during the George Floyd riots in 2020, an incident her father also praised at the time.
Organized Groups and National Coordination
The Manhattan protest did not happen in isolation.
Activists affiliated with Sunrise Movement NYC told reporters they were copying tactics used by demonstrators in Minneapolis, where hotels suspected of housing ICE agents were similarly targeted.
Those Minneapolis protests escalated into violence, property destruction, and deadly confrontations with federal agents.
Public grant records show that the Sunrise Movement has received millions of dollars from George Soros-linked organizations in recent years.
Other protest groups, including Indivisible Twin Cities, have also received millions from Soros-affiliated funding networks.
These organizations reportedly compiled spreadsheets listing hotels, addresses, phone numbers, and estimated numbers of ICE agents, turning private businesses into targets for coordinated protests.
Federal Officials Sound the Alarm
Federal authorities have warned that these actions go far beyond peaceful protest.
DHS officials have described the incidents as part of a coordinated campaign designed to intimidate law enforcement and obstruct immigration operations.
In Minneapolis, confrontations at similar protests resulted in two fatal shootings involving federal agents.
Despite the unrest, the Trump administration has made it clear that enforcement operations will continue.
Acting ICE Director Tom Homan, appointed by President Trump, continues to oversee aggressive enforcement efforts in major cities nationwide.
A Stark Double Standard
The arrest of Dante de Blasio and his father’s reaction encapsulate what critics argue is a defining feature of modern Democratic politics.
Political elites demand protection for themselves while undermining the law enforcement officers responsible for keeping the public safe.
A former mayor’s son stormed a hotel based on rumors, violated the law, and was arrested. Instead of condemning the behavior, his father celebrated it.
For many Americans, the message is clear. The rules apply differently depending on who you are and which political ideology you serve.
