Pickup Truck Drives Into ICE Protesters

A protest outside a detention center used to hold immigration detainees in Rhode Island took a scary turn Wednesday night when a pickup drove into protesters, reports the Providence Journal. The state attorney general and the state police are now investigating what happened at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls. The Jewish group organizing the protest, Never Again, said two of its members were hospitalized, one with a broken leg. The protesters were blocking a parking lot entrance when the pickup approached, per the Washington Post. See one video here, and another view—this one showing a driver who appears to be wearing a guard's uniform—here.

“Once we have a full understanding of the relevant facts, we will determine how to proceed,” said a statement from the attorney general’s office. “Peaceful protest is a fundamental right of all Americans; it is unfortunate last night’s situation unfolded as it did." Democratic Gov. Gov. Gina Raimondo said she felt “outrage” after seeing video of the incident, adding that the protesters were "exercising their constitutional right." A spokeswoman for Never Again said "it was terrifying because we didn’t know what exactly his intention was,” adding, “It certainly appeared he was trying to hit us.” (A different ICE protest took the form of a human chain.)