Viral video shows white activists laughing in Black mother’s face as she pleads to pass through NYC traffic blockade during immigration protests
A desperate working mother was mocked and laughed at by anti-ICE protesters who refused to let her through their traffic blockade in New York City, in shocking footage that has sparked outrage across social media.
The confrontation, captured by Turning Point USA reporter Savanah Hernandez on Tuesday night, shows the distraught woman pleading with two white protesters to move so she could get to work and support her child – only to be met with sarcastic laughter and dismissal.
“I have a kid and I need to go to work,” the mother tells the activists after exiting her vehicle during the chaotic demonstrations that saw at least 80 protesters arrested across Manhattan.
In a response that has stunned viewers, the male protester sarcastically replied: “Oh no, not work. I care so much,” while glancing dismissively at the woman.
‘How Do Y’all Feel About Stopping a Black Woman?’
The viral clip shows journalist Hernandez confronting the pair about the racial dynamics of the situation, asking: “How do y’all as white people feel about stopping a black woman from going to work?
The male protester’s response was brutally honest: when asked if he cared about preventing the Black mother from getting to her job, he simply smirked and admitted “no.”
The footage ends with the frustrated mother gesturing at the massive traffic jam behind her, telling the protesters: “Look at this line you guys are causing. I’m not causing any problems.”
Hernandez later revealed on social media that the protesters were “truly the most condescending and horrible people I’ve ever spoken to,” adding that another mother with a special needs child who had a medical appointment was told “too bad!” when she begged to pass through.
NYC Erupts in Anti-ICE Chaos
The shocking incident occurred during Tuesday night’s massive anti-ICE demonstrations that have spread from Los Angeles to major cities across America, including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Seattle.
Thousands of protesters flooded Lower Manhattan on Tuesday evening, with demonstrations centered around Federal Plaza – home to immigration courts and ICE facilities. The NYPD reported making dozens of arrests as protesters blocked streets, formed human chains, and clashed with officers.
The protests were sparked by ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids across the country, part of President Trump’s intensified immigration crackdown. In New York, ICE agents have reportedly been detaining people attending routine court hearings at immigration facilities.
From Peaceful Protest to Street Chaos
What began as organized demonstrations quickly devolved into confrontations with police. Video footage from Tuesday night shows NYPD officers detaining multiple individuals, with protesters on the ground being handcuffed as crowds chanted and called officers “terrorists.
A splinter group of several hundred protesters marched north through Manhattan before returning to Federal Plaza, where they attempted to block a white van from leaving the building – suspecting it contained detained migrants.
My understanding is that ICE has been detaining people in the courts at this building, and they’ve been keeping them in the building,” one protester told reporters. “I personally don’t like that they’re detaining people in the courts… So we’re, I think, want to make it as hard as possible for them.”
Mayor Adams: ‘Violence Will Not Be Tolerated’
New York City Mayor Eric Adams addressed the escalating protests on Monday, warning that while peaceful protest is protected, “violence and lawlessness” would not be tolerated in the city.
“Keeping the people of our city safe has always been my North Star. That means keeping people safe from violent protests and it means protecting people who are trying to do the right thing by protesting peacefully for what they believe,” Adams said.
His warning came after violent clashes in Los Angeles over the weekend, where President Trump deployed the National Guard after protesters surrounded federal buildings, assaulted officers, and damaged government property.
Working Americans Caught in the Crossfire
The incident with the working mother has become a flashpoint in debates about protest tactics, with critics arguing that blocking ordinary citizens from getting to work alienates potential supporters and harms the very communities activists claim to protect.
Social media erupted with condemnation of the protesters‘ behavior, with many pointing out the irony of privileged activists preventing working-class people – particularly minorities – from earning a living.
He’s laughing because he doesn’t know what a job is,” Hernandez commented on social media about the male protester’s dismissive attitude.
Protests Continue to Spread
The demonstrations show no signs of slowing down. Anti-ICE protests have been reported in:
- Los Angeles (where a curfew has been imposed)
- Chicago
- Seattle
- Denver
- San Francisco
- Atlanta
- Dallas
- Phoenix
- Charlotte
In Los Angeles, where the protests began on Friday, Mayor Karen Bass imposed an 8 PM to 6 AM curfew in downtown areas after 29 businesses were looted Monday night alone. Graffiti has appeared across the city, and multiple fires have been set during confrontations with police.
The Human Cost
As protests continue to escalate across the country, Tuesday’s incident in New York has highlighted the human cost of the demonstrations – not just for migrants facing deportation, but for working Americans trying to navigate the chaos.
The image of a working mother being mocked for needing to get to her job has become emblematic of broader tensions within the protest movement, raising questions about tactics, privilege, and who really pays the price when cities grind to a halt.
With no resolution in sight and protests planned to continue throughout the week, more confrontations between demonstrators and frustrated citizens seem inevitable as America’s immigration debate plays out on the streets of its major cities.
