How we photographed an arrest at an anti-ICE protest
This week’s top photo comes from Visual Journalist Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere. Follow him on X, Bluesky, and Instagram.
How did you get the photo?
After covering the anti-ICE protest in Chicago on Tuesday and marching around downtown for a couple hours, most protesters concluded their efforts at Daley Plaza, but some wanted to march more and urged others to follow suit. I followed the group since it seemed they were a bit more energetic and eager to do something more. My instincts told me something was going to happen.
A few blocks later at the corner of West Washington Street and North State Street, police and protesters had a standoff. One thing led to another and police surged forward. They tried chasing down a man with a skateboard, who was ducking and weaving around protesters and reporters at the intersection. An officer tackled the man and placed his full weight on him while trying to handcuff him.
As this was happening, a woman in a blue bike helmet attempted to get police off the man. Police put her on the ground, and I took the photo as this unfolded in front of me. Making sure to get the best angle possible while also not being harassed by officers, who threatened photographers numerous times with their batons, I stayed agile, and gave them appropriate space. It also gave me an exit route in case the crowd or more police surged forward.
The crowd was yelling and throwing things, including a water bottle that struck my head. Since I was wearing my bump cap, I wasn’t injured, just stunned.
Covering protests is a mix of being reactive, thinking on your feet and being in the right place at the right time. This was a result of covering a lot of civil unrest in Chicago for a majority of my career and being at the right place at the right time.
Technical details:
Equipment: Nikon Z7II
Focal length: 24mm
Aperture: f/4.5
Exposure: 1/400
ISO: 2500
13 more powerful photos from the Sun-Times photo staff:
Protesters rally against recent actions taken by ICE in Chicago and across the country, at Plaza Tenochtitlán in Pilsen, Sunday, June 8, 2025.
Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times
International travelers move through Terminal 5 at O’Hare International Airport on the morning President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban order takes effect, Monday, June 9, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Skaters attend Chicago Skate Social’s “Skate Rave” at a former TJMaxx in South Loop, Thursday, June 5.
Timothy Hiatt/For the Sun-Times
Police hold down a protester during a rally in the Loop in solidarity with protests in Los Angeles against ICE detentions and operations, Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Hundreds of protesters march across the river from Trump Tower in the Loop, decrying increased immigration enforcement across the country, Thursday, June 12, 2025.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Newly graduated police officer Krystal Rivera talks about why she decided to become an officer after a graduation ceremony, Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, at Navy Pier.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Family members of officer Krystal Rivera attend a vigil for her outside the 6th District police station in Auburn Gresham, Wednesday, June 11, 2025.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Mayor Brandon Johnson takes a selfie with a student athlete on the boys varsity soccer team during a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new soccer pitch for Disney II Magnet School, Wednesday, June 11, 2025.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Janet, 6, runs around on her last day of kindergarten at Mary E. Courtenay Language Arts Center at 4420 N. Beacon St. in Uptown on the North Side on Thursday.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Patricia Anaya (left), who runs Growing Up Green Daycare out of her home in West Lawn, holds 9-month-old Alani as the three other children, all two years old or younger, dance and play during lessons, Friday, May 30, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
D’ierra Wooten, 7, who is in the second grade, runs to hug her moms goodbye outside Ida B. Wells Preparatory Elementary School in Douglas, Thursday, June 12, 2025.
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Carlos Pineda hugs Stephanie Tlatenchi as detainees are escorted into a van inside the Broadview Immigration Processing Center at 1930 Beach St. in Broadview, Friday, June 6, 2025. Advocates and activists gathered outside the immigration processing center to demand the release of Gladis Yolanda Chavez. Chavez was detained on Wednesday with at least 10 other immigrants who were arrested after they went to an immigration appointment in the South Loop.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Mike Kaage, whose newsstand in the 6700 block of North Northwest Highway in Edison Park is set to close, sits in his booth, Thursday, June 5, 2025.
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Students wait to enter their graduation ceremony at Benito Juarez Community Academy at 1450 W. Cermak Rd., Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times
A small sailboat sails off into Lake Michigan from Montrose Harbor as Canadian wildfire smoke obscures the Chicago skyline, Friday, June 6, 2025, in Chicago.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
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