In a heated exchange that escalated tensions in Minneapolis, the chief of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was seen throwing a gas canister towards anti-ICE protesters. The confrontation between demonstrators and federal law enforcement officers grew more intense as the day progressed.

Gregory Bovino, who holds the position of Border Patrol Commander at Large, was captured on video during the January 21 protest. He described the situation as ‘chaotic’ before deploying the gas.

As the situation became more volatile, Bovino clearly warned the crowd, “I’m gonna gas,” urging them to move back.

He repeated, “Gas is coming,” multiple times before launching the canister, signaling his intent to disperse the crowd.

The scene turned even more intense as a protester, visibly angered by the actions of the Border Patrol leader, shouted insults as the green-hued gas spread through the area.

Amid the confusion and shouting, the protester yelled a profanity-laden remark, while Bovino continued to alert the crowd by announcing “gas” repeatedly before deploying another canister.

Bovino claimed one of the border patrol officers seen in the video was spat on before the gas was thrown.

‘If you look at that clip, what you see directly behind me are border patrol agents that had just been assaulted,’ he told NewsNation.

Border Control Commander at Large Gregory Bovino was captured throwing a gas canister at anti-ICE demonstrators during a clash in Minneapolis

Green fumes could be seen filling the air in the video. Bovino issued several warnings before tossing a canister 

Bovino added: ‘As that individual that spit on a border patrol agent was taken into custody, several other suspects came in and tried to intervene physically, both body checking border patrol agents, as well as physically wrestling with border patrol agents, to try to free the original suspect that spit.’

Footage of the incident showed agents tackling a protester to the ground within reach of Bovino as he was readying to throw a canister.

Bovino called the situation ‘chaotic.’ He said objects were being thrown and that agents were ‘being boxed in by vehicles.’

‘It was time – it was probably past the time – for myself to deploy that less lethal ammunition,’ he said, referring to the gas.

‘If we didn’t have less lethal, what would we be left with?’ Bovino added.

He rhetorically asked if ‘fisticuffs and guns’ were wanted or if ‘we want to use less lethal to keep people safe [and] to keep our officers safe.’

‘That’s what we did in that particular instance,’ Bovino said. ‘And guess what? It worked. The crowd dispersed. No one was hurt.’

Bovino called the protest ‘chaotic’ and added that objects were being thrown. He said agents were ‘being boxed in by vehicles’ 

A federal immigration was photographed using a chemical agent on a observer after detaining a man and his child on Thursday in Minneapolis

In response to criticism, Bovino called the US Border Patrol a ‘high performing organization’ that ‘should be held to a high standard.’

The agency was ‘well aware’ of public opinion, he said, although he noted that the immigration operations had also received support.

That was ‘especially’ seen from ‘inner city residents’ in Chicago or Los Angeles, Bovino claimed.

He said the ‘fantastic public support’ extended to Minneapolis.

‘A lot of thumbs up, and a lot of good jobs,’ Bovino said.

He added that ‘a lot of it is under their breath’ because supporters were supposedly ‘afraid of that five or 10 percent of agitators and rioters.’

Minnesota and its capital have become a major focus of immigration sweeps by the Trump administration.

Operation Metro Surge, an immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities, has been underway for weeks.

Renee Nicole Good, 37, was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on January 7 in Minneapolis, setting off further widespread protests and backlash.

The mother of three was shot dead after allegedly refusing officers’ demands to open her car door during a demonstration in Minneapolis.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said it was as if Bovino ‘literally went on eBay and purchased SS garb’

Bovino responded that he’d owned the Border Patrol-issued trench coat for around 25 years and it had previously ‘received nothing but compliments’ 

Bovino said that Good and her wife Rebecca’s actions leading up to the shots fired were ‘a means, intent and opportunity.’

He described Good’s vehicle as a ‘four-thousand pound missile’ headed toward Ross.

‘Hats off to that ICE agent,’ Bovino said. ‘I’m glad he made it out alive, I’m glad he’s with his family.’

California Gov. Gavin Newsom took aim at Bovino while at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, by saying that his trench coat resembled how Adolf Hitler’s Schutzstaffel dressed.

Newsom, a Democrat, said ‘it’s as if [Bovino] literally went on eBay and purchased SS garb.’

He added: ‘Greg Bovino. Secret police. Private army. Masked men. People disappearing, quite literally. No due process.’

Bovino explained the coat was ‘definitely Border Patrol issued’ and that he owned it for more than 25 years after buying it as a young agent.

He said he ‘received nothing but compliments’ on his attire after wearing it to Commissioner Chris Magnus’ swearing-in in Washington DC during the Biden administration.

‘Fast forward a few years to this administration, all of a sudden it’s a problem,’ Bovino said. ‘Hey, what changed there?’

The Daily Mail has reached out to CBP for comment.