A misunderstanding led to a group of protesters mistakenly targeting three federal air marshals, believing them to be U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, during a dinner outing at a Los Angeles-area restaurant on Wednesday night.
The marshals, associated with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and responsible for ensuring the safety of passengers and crew aboard U.S. aircraft, were enjoying a meal at Ten-Raku, a Korean BBQ spot located within the Plaza Mexico shopping center in Lynwood, when protesters began to gather outside.
A Department of Homeland Security representative shared with Fox News Digital that the TSA personnel found themselves “surrounded and viciously harassed by a frenzied mob” during the incident.
“These agitators were influenced by left-wing politicians who believe all Department of Homeland Security employees should be targeted and attacked due to their role in enforcing the immigration laws mandated by President Trump and Secretary Noem,” the spokesperson explained.
One woman, identified as a protest organizer, acknowledged to Fox 11 that the group had assumed the TSA agents could be ICE employees. She then accompanied a Fox 11 reporter into the restaurant, instructing the staff not to engage with him.
“Yeah, sorry to you,” she remarked. “Nobody’s going to talk to you.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was called to the scene to restore control. The TSA agents were escorted out of the restaurant and no one was arrested or harmed.
The Ten-Raku, a Korean BBQ restaurant in Lynwood, California. Anti-ICE agitators gathered outside the restaurant on Wednesday after they mistakenly identified three TSA workers as immigration agents. (Getty Images; Google Maps)
“Deputies responded to ensure public safety, de-escalated the situation, and facilitated a safe resolution without incident,” the sheriff’s department told Fox News Digital.
The agency noted that it doesn’t participate in any civil immigration enforcement activities.
The TSA agents were seen speaking with sheriff’s deputies outside the restaurant as they were shouted down by the demonstrators outside.
“F****** goofys,” one woman is heard shouting.
“We’re TSA,” another woman is heard saying in a mocking tone.
The TSA blamed elected officials opposed to the enforcement of immigration laws for rhetoric against federal law enforcement personnel.
“The mob believed these TSA officials were ICE agents,” TSA spokesman Nick Dyer told Fox News Digital. “They were not, but the message to Americans is clear: agitators and politicians who fan the flames of hatred are tacitly endorsing violence against every Department of Homeland Security employee.”
“It is reprehensible, but not surprising, that certain pro-illegal-alien politicians are willing to let our employees be collateral damage in their campaign for open borders. The violent rhetoric that is fanning these flames must stop,” Dyer added.
After the chaotic scene, a customer outside the restaurant told the local news outlet that immigration enforcement operations are “emotional” but that “there is a place and time for everything.”
“It happens! You take it out on the wrong people, which, same thing as ICE. They say they’re after criminals, but they’re taking it out on everybody,” the man added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE, TSA and the Department of Homeland Security.
Wednesday’s incident wasn’t a one-off. In Minneapolis, where tensions have flared over ICE operations and two deadly shootings involving anti-ICE agitators, a group of software engineers were heckled while eating lunch after they were mistaken for ICE agents.
The men – all white males dressed casually in sweatshirts and jackets — were eating lunch at Clancey’s Deli when one of them got an alert on an anti-Ice Signal chat telling members that plainclothes agents were at the restaurant, Alpha News reported.
One of the men, who is politically aligned with the anti-ICE cause, received the message on a Signal chat.
“My friend was shocked. He’s on the [anti-ICE] side politically. He lives nearby. He’s eaten there before. And suddenly he’s seeing messages saying we’re ICE,” a man who gave his name as Lee told the outlet.
A group of Minneapolis software engineers were bombarded with insults after they were mistakenly identified as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while eating lunch at a restaurant. (Alpha News)
Once outside, the men were met on the street with heckles from the crowd.
“You’re a f—— bootlicker b—-!” one of the agitators can be heard.
“Get out of our f—— neighborhood!” screamed another.
