Protesters tried to block vehicles Friday morning outside a federal immigration enforcement building in west suburban Broadview, leading to a confrontation with authorities who later apparently used a chemical agent to disperse the crowd.

Dozens of people carrying American flags and signs with the words “Hands off Chicago” were at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building about 12 miles west of Chicago.

Video of the protesters was posted on social media site Bluesky by Kat Abughazaleh, who said she locked arms with others to try to block a van before federal authorities intervened.

In video posted to the site at about 7 a.m., it shows a woman, later identified as Abughazaleh, stepping in front of an exiting vehicle and then being thrown to the ground by a masked person in military camouflage.

Abughazaleh is running for U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s north and northwest suburban 9th Congressional district seat, from which Schakowsky is retiring after this term.

“We have signs and chants and songs, and they’re treating us like it’s a war zone,” Abughazaleh said.

Some protesters were taken into custody as white clouds from the chemical agent broke up the group, allowing vehicles to arrive and depart, according to video posted online by TV crews.

Andre Vasquez, a member of the Chicago City Council also at the protest, described the chemicals as “tear gas, a little pepper spray, a little mix of both.”

ICE launched a new operation this month with a focus on traffic stops in largely immigrant and Latino neighborhoods and Chicago suburbs, including Elgin.

According to the Westmont-based Illinois Federation of Teachers and Elgin Community College Faculty Association officials – who put out a joint letter posted to Facebook – an Elgin Community College student was detained in a campus parking lot Thursday.

The union also put out a statement Friday following the Broadview incident.

“Peaceful protesters should never be met with violence. The rights to free speech and peaceful assembly are fundamental freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution, not privileges granted at the discretion of armed agents. Today’s attack is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader pattern of ICE intimidation and excessive force aimed at immigrants and our most vulnerable communities,” according to the letter from federation president Dan Montgomery.

The Broadview site is a two-story building that has been used to temporarily hold immigrants before they’re detained or deported. The windows are covered with wood boards. Protesters have regularly gathered there, including Catholic nuns who pray during vigils.

“They want us to be afraid,” Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, a Democrat, told reporters at the scene, referring to President Donald Trump’s administration. “They want us to just kind of go into our little corners and not do anything. ... We’re not going to let that happen.”

Activists and local leaders lately have pledged to be defiant in response to the government crackdown as they try to deter agents, warn residents and keep attention on a man killed by an immigration officer last week.

Authorities said agents were pursuing a man with a history of reckless driving who had entered the country illegally. They said Silverio Villegas Gonzalez evaded arrest and dragged an officer with his vehicle. The government said the officer fired because he feared for his life.

AP contributed to this report.