At least nine people were arrested during an ICE protest outside the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Bushwick, Brooklyn this weekend. Police say hundreds of people gathered outside the hospital after learning a detainee was taken to the emergency room. The confrontation lasted some five hours and ended in part with four New York city Police officers pepper-sprayed but ICE. But on Sunday, some officials questioned why they say it appeared some officers seemed to be helping the ICE officers. The NYPD denies that, saying it was simply trying to get ICE out, so that ambulances could get in. The NYPD says it received numerous 9-1-1 calls Saturday night during the chaotic scene outside the hospital.Council member Sandy Nurse (D-Brooklyn), who was at the scene, says community members showed up to stop ICE officers with a detainee in the emergency room. "They had brought him in assumedly with injuries he got," said Nurse. "It seems community members followed the vehicle and New Yorkers came out from the street, people from all over the area came out to respond." The NYPD says there were 200 people when they arrived at the Bushwick hospital. ICE agents could be seen carrying what looked like the semi-conscious detainee, later identified as Chidozie Wilson Okeke, out of the E.R., before putting him on the ground. NYPD officers formed a wall of blue between protesters and the ICE officers seen holding pepper spray. And they created a path for them to get Okeke into the back of the ICE SUV. Another video showed NYPD officers helping to change an ICE agent’s flat tire. It is unclear if this was related to the earlier incident. "To me this is a clear violation of our sanctuary city laws," said Nurse. "The New York Police Dept. should not be coordinating with ICE. That is against our laws." ICE agents could be seen carrying what looked like the semi-conscious detainee, later identified as Chidozie Wilson Okeke, out of the E.R., before putting him on the ground. (Image: NBC New York via FNTV) But an NYPD spokesperson says there was zero communication or coordination with ICE. He says four NYPD officers were injured by ICE officers using pepper spray. Local The NYPD says demonstrators, as seen in the video, were throwing garbage into the streets and blocking the ambulance bay to the E.R. In order to create a clear path to the E.R., NYPD officers were deescalating the situation to get ICE out and clear the crowd. Police say nine people were arrested when they ignored repeated commands to disperse. A neighbor who did not want to share her identity says she was alerted to the confrontation by whistles. "This is a common tactic neighbors use to alert about ICE presence in the neighborhood," she said. "You could hear whistles from two blocks away. It was very clear that (Okeke) was in no fit state to leave the hospital." Protesters knocked over garbage cans and confronted officers outside Wyckoff Heights Medical Center Saturday night (Image: NBC New York via FNTV) DHS responded Sunday in a statement. "During his arrest, Okeke refused to comply with officers’ lawful commands to exit the vehicle and weaponized his vehicle to attempt to hit ICE officers. Okeke became physically combative attempting to punch and elbow ICE officers. Our officers followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to make the arrest." The statement went on to say "After his arrest, Okeke requested medical assistance, so ICE officers escorted him to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center for a medical evaluation. Okeke remained non-compliant during the medical evaluation, throwing himself to the floor and screaming. The medical staff cleared him." DHS says Okeke, who is from Nigeria, overstayed his tourist visa in 2024 and has previous arrests for assault and criminal drug possession. Council Member Nurse also says ICE officers who were in the hospital for more than five hours were in violation of sanctuary city laws barring them from hospitals, schools and places of worship. NBC New York reached out to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has been a strong critic of ICE. But his spokesperson directed a reporter to the NYPD for comment.