A couple has been filmed shouting at children leaving a dance class in Chicago, telling them they were 'lucky ICE isn’t out here.' The incident occurred outside the Ballet Folklorico de Chicago studio in Avondale, Illinois, around 10 p.m. on Friday.
Video footage shows a woman on a fire escape yelling, 'You’re lucky ICE isn’t out here' and 'Get the f*** out of here.' A man also threw an unidentified liquid at the group of teenagers, aged 13 to 15. One of the victims, 13-year-old Damian Guerrero, said the man shouted racial slurs.
The dance studio released a statement saying it had filed a police report and would press charges. 'We will not tolerate bullying, hate speech, or hate crimes,' the statement read. The Chicago Police Department confirmed it is investigating, noting that the offenders threatened the victims and threw liquid.
The neighbours involved, who have not been named, said the confrontation stemmed from an ongoing noise dispute. They told CBS News Chicago they had 'lost my cool' after continuous noise issues. The woman added that they have received death threats since the video went viral.
The man denied being racist, saying, 'Trust me when I say I am not pro-ICE, OK, I am not a racist, nor is she. We are both Latinos.' The community remains outraged over the incident, which has heightened tensions amid ongoing immigration debates in Chicago.
