Charleston police arrested two people Sunday during a protest at Marion Square that drew hundreds demonstrating against federal immigration enforcement following a deadly shooting by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis.

The afternoon demonstration organized by several local advocacy groups packed the downtown park with protesters carrying anti-ICE signs and calling for changes to federal immigration policy. Police did not immediately release the names or charges for those arrested.

The protest came amid nationwide demonstrations following the fatal shooting of a man by an ICE officer in Minneapolis last week. Federal authorities said the officer fired during an arrest operation, though details remain under investigation.

“We’re here because what happened in Minneapolis could happen here,” said Maria Rodriguez, a spokesperson for Charleston Immigration Coalition, one of the organizing groups. “Our community deserves to feel safe from federal agents who act without accountability.”

Charleston Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Shealy said officers monitored the demonstration and made arrests only when protesters violated city ordinances. She declined to specify which ordinances or provide details about what led to the arrests.

The protest began around 2 p.m. with speakers addressing the crowd from the park’s pavilion. Demonstrators then marched around the square’s perimeter, with some sitting in the street briefly before returning to the park.

Several speakers criticized ICE’s enforcement tactics in the Charleston area, where federal agents have conducted workplace raids and arrests that have drawn attention from Politics & Government watchers and civil rights advocates.

The Rev. Nelson Rivers III of Charity Missionary Baptist Church told the crowd that immigration enforcement has created fear in Charleston’s Latino community. “Families are afraid to send their children to school, afraid to go to work, afraid to live their lives,” Rivers said.

County Councilwoman Jenny Costa Honeycutt, who represents parts of West Ashley with significant immigrant populations, attended the protest but did not speak. She has previously criticized aggressive federal enforcement tactics.

The demonstration remained largely peaceful despite the arrests. Organizers used bullhorns to remind protesters to stay on sidewalks and follow police instructions.

Charleston has seen increased federal immigration enforcement activity over the past several years. ICE agents conducted a widely publicized raid at a Mount Pleasant restaurant in 2019 that resulted in multiple arrests and sparked similar protests.

Local advocacy groups have documented what they call a pattern of aggressive enforcement that targets workers and families with no criminal records. Federal officials counter that they prioritize individuals with criminal histories or outstanding deportation orders.

The Minneapolis shooting that prompted Sunday’s protest occurred during what ICE described as a “targeted enforcement action.” The agency said the officer fired his weapon during the operation but has not released body camera footage or detailed the circumstances.

That incident has renewed calls from immigrant rights groups for oversight of federal enforcement agencies. Several Democratic lawmakers have demanded investigations into ICE’s use of force policies.

Sunday’s protest drew a diverse crowd including college students, religious leaders, and longtime Charleston residents. Many carried homemade signs with messages like “No ICE in our city” and “Immigrants welcome here.”

Some counter-protesters also appeared, holding American flags and signs supporting federal immigration enforcement, though they remained separate from the main demonstration.

The arrests occurred near the end of the protest as most participants were leaving Marion Square. Police cordoned off a small area while officers processed the two individuals, though the incident did not escalate tensions with other protesters.

Organizers said they plan additional actions in response to federal immigration policies, though they did not announce specific dates or events.

The Charleston Immigration Coalition and other groups have organized similar demonstrations over the past five years, typically drawing dozens to hundreds of participants depending on current events.

Charleston’s immigrant population has grown significantly in recent decades, with many working in the area’s hospitality, construction, and service industries. The 2020 census showed Charleston County’s Hispanic population increased by more than 40 percent since 2010.

City Council has not taken official positions on federal immigration enforcement, though individual members have expressed varying views on ICE activities in Charleston.

Mayor John Tecklenburg did not attend Sunday’s protest and his office did not respond to requests for comment about the demonstration or arrests.

The two arrested individuals were processed at the Charleston County Detention Center. Bond hearings had not been scheduled as of Sunday evening.