Adams warns anti-ICE protesters in NYC: 'We will not allow you to destroy our city'

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday warned protesters who were demonstrating against recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations that he would not allow them to destroy the city, but encouraged peaceful protests.

The warning was issued after the New York Police Department (NYPD) arrested over 80 protesters on Tuesday, and demonstrations continued Wednesday. The protests come as other anti-ICE demonstrations break out across the country, with the largest protests taking place in California, which have expanded into riots.

Adams echoed NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch's warning against violent protests in an appearance on Newsmax. 

“Commissioner Tisch gave a very loud and clear message: We will allow peaceful protests, but we will not allow you to destroy our city or harm innocent people, and we will take action whenever that takes place,” Adams said. “We know that there are those who travel our country, embed themselves into issues like Antifa and others, and they have one goal in mind, and that is to provoke and to create disruption and disorder, particularly with our law enforcement community."

The Democratic mayor said those who are identified as Antifa or other disruptors are immediately removed from the area. He also commented that NYPD officers tasked with maintaining safety at protests go through "extensive" training.

“You have people who criticize these units, but we have to just ignore the noise when it comes down to public safety," Adams said. "Whatever equipment that’s needed, whatever training that’s needed, we’re going to do it. I’m not taking any shortcuts and keeping our city safe." 

Adams, who is running for reelection later this year, has been criticized for cooperating with the Trump administration on illegal immigration, which hit New York particularly hard during the Biden administration. Adams has defended the cooperation as him putting New Yorkers first.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.