A 72-year-old New York City woman says she was pepper-sprayed by a masked ICE agent while standing on a public sidewalk — and she is now pursuing legal action.
Linda Wolff says the incident happened Thursday in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan, where ICE agents were attempting to have a disabled vehicle towed. Wolff joined a group of demonstrators who had gathered at the scene.
The Moment Caught on Video
Video footage shows Wolff standing on the sidewalk, filming the agents with her phone. An agent approaches her, tells her to back up, then sprays pepper spray directly toward her face at close range.
In video she recorded herself, Wolff can be heard saying, “Well, you just Maced me.”
The agent’s response: “I’m gonna do it again.”
ICE Defends the Action
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement that a group of individuals “swarmed, became combative and verbally assaultive” and refused to clear the area, calling it an attempt to obstruct federal law enforcement — which is a federal crime. The agency said “appropriate measures” were used.
Still Recovering Days Later
Wolff says she is still feeling the effects of the pepper spray.
“My eyes, they’re burning, and they’re very sensitive to the light,” she said.
Legal Action and First Amendment Rights
Wolff says she plans to file a lawsuit, arguing she was exercising her constitutional right to protest and film in a public space.
A public interest attorney who reviewed the footage said filming federal officers in public is a legal right, and that based on the video, Wolff was clearly not interfering with the law enforcement action.
Wolff says despite everything, she has no plans to stop protesting.
