Protesters rally after aggressive ICE raid at South Park’s Buona Forchetta sparks outrage

ICE raid protesters gathered in front of Buona Forchetta in South Park Saturday JW August Times of San Diego People gathered outside Buona Forchetta Saturday to protest an immigration enforcement operation by federal officials that took place at a pair of restaurants Friday in the city s South Park neighborhood Armed federal immigration agents on Friday afternoon went to the Buona Forchetta and Enoteca Buona Forchetta restaurants on Beech Street and arrested an unknown number of employees Buona Forchetta Manager Renato Ametrano winds up the awnings to open the restaurant Saturday JW August Times of San Diego The restaurant s manager Renato Ametrano described what happened saying the U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers demonstrated up with no explanation He commented there were about - officers who surrounded the building and then came inside pushing him against the wall and handcuffing him They frightened the workers plenty of of them students Ametrano stated describing ICE personnel as very aggressive while handcuffing other members of the staff He disclosed the officers were looking at a computer and at employees They eventually took two employees announced Ametrano because they didn t have a physical ID A chaotic scene followed during which a crowd gathered around ICE vehicles with two flash bangs going off at one point The trauma led Ametrano to shut the restaurant down for the night but he was back Saturday winding up the awnings to open Protesters gathered in solidarity with Buona Forchetta in South Park Saturday JW August Times of San Diego Yasmeen Pitts O Keefe a spokeswoman for ICE substantiated the work site operations Saturday and added As this is an ongoing scrutiny we have no further releasable information at this time San Diego City Councilman Steven Whitburn whose district includes South Park posted on X that he was deeply troubled by what took place People have the right to due process Whitburn posted Our neighbors who are immigrants are vital to the fabric of our city and they deserve to live without fear or intimidation San Diego must remain a city where fairness humanity and the rule of law prevail Rep Scott Peters a San Diego Democrat who represents the th District revealed his office will be probing the development to ensure law enforcement is using its materials on society safety threats and meeting the highest standards In a comment Peters reported How does scaring restaurant patrons and arresting people busing tables and washing dishes make us safer It doesn t It wastes our limited law enforcement information It proves that the promise to deport only dangerous criminals was a fraud And it abuses hardworking people and the neighbors they work among there s your waste fraud and abuse How does scaring restaurant patrons and arresting people bussing tables and washing dishes make us safer It doesn t It wastes our limited law enforcement materials It proves that the promise to deport only dangerous criminals was a fraud And it abuses hardworking people and Rep Scott Peters RepScottPeters May County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer noted in a report that what happened in South Park was a disturbing escalation of the same tactics we saw in our courthouses earlier this week intimidation over masses safety fear over fairness Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre a candidate for the vacant District supervisors seat in the July runoff mentioned in a report that the arrests were an over-the-top militarized show of force that doesn t belong in a residential neighborhood Flash bangs and assault rifles aimed at restaurant workers and area members is not enforcement it s intimidation mentioned Aguirre I m a mayor who works closely with police and I know we can have common-sense enforcement without losing our minds or our morals I oppose in the strongest terms feasible ICE raids on schools churches and restaurants and believe we should never be separating children from their families she added Aguirre s opponent in the July runoff Chula Vista Mayor John McCann could not right away be reached for comment City News Utility contributed to this article