Federal immigration agents arrested a man who documented their activities in Charlotte on Tuesday, his friends, partner and lawyer said.

He was freed from an FBI office six hours later and disputed claims by the federal government about what transpired.

It started Tuesday afternoon at the parking lot of the Eastway Crossing shopping center.

Joshua Long was trying to “deter agents from terrorizing our community,” said Gabrielle Sorge, who is his partner.

In response to an inquiry from The Charlotte Observer, an unsigned media relations email from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security alleged that Long was arrested “for vehicular assault against a federal agent.”

Long said that isn’t true.

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