In his first interview, Rev. David Black spoke to CNN about his confrontation with ICE agents at a protest in Illinois
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NEED TO KNOW
- Footage shared on social media showed Rev. David Black being shot with a pepper ball by agents during a demonstration at an ICE facility in Illinois
- “We could hear them laughing as they were shooting us from the roof, and it was deeply disturbing,” he told CNN in his first interview
- A Department of Homeland Security official alleged the protesters were obstructing law enforcement and “if you are obstructing law enforcement you can expect to be met with force”
A Presbyterian pastor, who was captured on video being shot in the head with a pepper ball by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during a protest in Illinois last month, claimed that the officers were laughing while firing.
“We could hear them laughing as they were shooting us from the roof, and it was deeply disturbing,” the Rev. David Black of Chicago told CNN earlier this week in his first interview. “We got to witness a few things about these ICE agents operating in broad view, and really it has shown us how disorganized they are and how poorly supervised and trained they are.”
In a clip shared on social media, Black, dressed in his clerical garb, is seen being struck by the pepper ball and collapsing on the ground as others come to his aid.
Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary with the Department of Homeland Security, claimed that the demonstrators were preventing an ICE vehicle from leaving the federal facility and hampering operations. She also alleged that demonstrators threw rocks and bottles and launched fireworks at authorities on the roof.
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“Obstructing law enforcement puts officers, detainees and the public at risk. If you are obstructing law enforcement you can expect to be met with force,” McLaughlin wrote in a statement shared with PEOPLE on Friday, Oct. 10.
In a separate message on social media, McLaughlin also wrote: “as an aside, this is the same ‘pastor’ who flipped @Sec_Noem and our team the bird when we were there last week.”
During his CNN interview, Black denied McLaughlin’s allegations, calling them “categorically false.”
“There were no ICE vehicles attempting to leave the facility,” he claimed. “I was standing to the side in a gesture of prayer and praying verbally for the ICE officers and those detained inside.”
“I find it interesting that this individual believes I flipped them the bird, because theologically as I have been praying for all of these people. I’ve been hoping that the Holy Spirit will descend upon them and open their hearts and minds, he added. “To the extent that the Holy Spirit appears as a bird, perhaps there is spiritual truth to her claim.”
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Black alleged that he was offered no warning before being pepper sprayed after already having been struck by a pepper ball.
“They shot me in my head and my face and multiple times in my torso, arms and legs,” he claimed while speaking with CNN. “I was shielded by the bodies of others who were there who rushed in to support me and took many more hits that were intended for me. I was then guided away to where a street medic helped to wash out my eyes and tried to keep me safe. But I was completely disabled at that point.”
Additionally, he claimed that about 15-20 ICE agents shoved him and other protesters “who were standing and speaking and singing peacefully and chanting peacefully.”
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The pastor’s comments were made as the Trump administration seeks to deploy National Guard troops in the Chicago area, a move opposed by Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
On Thursday, Oct. 10, a judge blocked the deployment for at least two weeks, the Associated Press reported, arguing that there is no substantial evidence of a “danger of rebellion” happening in the state.
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Black has also joined in a lawsuit with journalists and protesters against the Trump Administration over its alleged violations of the First and Fourth Amendments, National Catholic Reporter.
“I am grateful to show up with these protesters–people who deeply believe in democracy and are bringing peaceful and moral witness against what the Trump administration is trying to do in Chicago,” Black told CNN.
