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Illinois Minister Says ICE Officers Fired Pepper Balls at Peaceful Protesters — While Laughing from Rooftop

“They Shot a Praying Pastor”: ICE Protest Sparks National Outrage After Viral Video Shows Clergy Targeted

What began as a quiet moment of prayer outside an Illinois immigration facility spiraled into a shocking display of violence. Witnesses say federal agents stationed on a rooftop opened fire on peaceful protesters below — and disturbingly, appeared to be laughing as they did so.

Among those struck was a local pastor, a man of faith who insists he was doing nothing more than praying. The unsettling footage has since gone viral, reigniting nationwide outrage over the growing tension between law enforcement and citizens exercising their right to peaceful protest.

The Moment That Changed Everything

In his first in-depth interview since the incident, Reverend David Black — a Presbyterian minister from Chicago — described what he calls one of the most disturbing moments of his life.

The now-viral video shows Rev. Black, dressed in his clerical collar, standing quietly outside the Broadview ICE detention facility. Then comes the crack of a pepper ball gun — and in an instant, he crumples to the pavement, struck in the head. Fellow demonstrators rush to his aid, panic spreading through the crowd.

But for Black, the physical pain wasn’t the worst part.

“We could actually hear them laughing while they were shooting at us,” he told CNN. “It was deeply unsettling. It showed us exactly how ICE operates — chaotic, unsupervised, and shockingly unprofessional.”

Federal Pushback — and Personal Attacks

Officials at the Department of Homeland Security paint a very different picture. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin claimed demonstrators were blocking ICE vehicles and throwing bottles, rocks, and even fireworks at agents.

“Blocking law enforcement endangers everyone — officers, detainees, and civilians alike,” she said in a statement on October 10. “If you stand in the way, you can expect some form of force.”

But she didn’t stop there. On social media, McLaughlin took a personal jab at the minister:

“This is the same ‘pastor’ who flipped off @Sec_Noem and our team when we visited last week.”

Rev. Black flatly denies it.

“There were no ICE vehicles even trying to leave. I was off to the side, hands together, praying aloud — for the officers and for the people inside the facility.”

He added, with a dry chuckle, “If she thinks I gave them the finger, maybe there’s a divine misunderstanding. I was asking the Holy Spirit to touch their hearts. And since the Spirit is symbolized as a dove, maybe she’s not entirely wrong.”

A Crackdown, a Lawsuit, and a Call for Justice

Black said he was struck multiple times — in the head, torso, arms, and legs — and that several other protesters were hit while trying to shield him. A volunteer medic rushed in to treat his injuries, flushing his eyes and helping him regain balance.

He wasn’t alone. According to Black, up to 20 ICE agents began pushing and firing at peaceful demonstrators who were singing, praying, and holding signs.

The incident comes amid growing legal battles over federal law enforcement tactics.

The Trump administration recently attempted to deploy National Guard troops in Chicago — a move blocked by a federal judge who ruled there was no credible threat of insurrection. Civil liberties groups, including journalists and clergy, are now suing DHS, accusing the government of violating First and Fourth Amendment rights.

“I’m proud to stand with people who care deeply about democracy,” Black told CNN. “We weren’t looking for conflict. We were making a moral stand against cruelty — and that’s something worth defending.”

🔹 Conclusion

The image of a pastor collapsing in prayer beneath a rain of pepper balls has become a symbol — not just of excessive force, but of something far deeper. It has sparked renewed questions about the state of civil rights in America, about the moral boundaries of power, and about who gets protected — and who gets punished — when the law turns its weapons inward.

For Rev. Black, the question isn’t whether the agents broke policy. It’s what it says about who we’ve become.

“This wasn’t a crackdown on violence. It was a crackdown on presence. On witness. On prayer.”

And in that moment — one quiet man kneeling as agents opened fire — the line between law and justice blurred into smoke.

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