Glendale Police cruiser's windshield smashed during immigration protest
GLENDALE, Ariz. - The Glendale Police Department released footage of one of its cruisers getting its windshield smashed in during a Feb. 2 immigration enforcement protest.
What we know:
The protest of at least a thousand people flooded the intersection of 67th Avenue and Camelback Road.
Glendale Police said they were aware of a protest in the area, and said they were monitoring the situation with Phoenix Police.
"People have the right to peacefully protest," Glendale Police said.
By 7 p.m., the crowd grew to about 1,000 people. At 10:15 p.m., officers deployed chemical agents to disperse the crowd, and by 10:35 p.m, the area was cleared.
Five patrol cars were damaged during the protest, and several officers were victims of aggravated assault, police said.
Another police cruiser was stolen but retrieved not long after. The suspect was not found.
What we don't know:
The name/s of the suspects involved in the cruiser's damage and the theft of the car haven't been released.
The backstory:
Many in Arizona are upset with President Donald Trump's nationwide effort to crackdown on illegal immigration.
There are deportations of illegal immigrants happening across America, including in Arizona.
On Jan. 26 in Phoenix, an immigration enforcement rally took over the intersection near 75th Avenue between Thomas and McDowell roads.
The other side:
Trump has promised the "largest deportation effort in U.S. history," and the use of Guantánamo Bay as a detention center signals a shift toward more aggressive enforcement. The administration has already moved to reinstate policies aimed at expediting deportations, restricting asylum claims, and cracking down on so-called sanctuary cities.
Legal challenges are likely. Civil rights groups have indicated they may challenge both the Laken Riley Act and the use of Guantánamo Bay for immigration detention, arguing they could lead to unlawful detentions and human rights violations.
Meanwhile, the logistics of housing up to 30,000 migrants at a naval base will require significant resources. Immigration authorities have not disclosed a timeline for transferring detainees, but the move is expected to escalate political battles over immigration policy.
What you can do:
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call Glendale Police at 623-930-3000 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.