At 4 p.m. as protesters were gathering, a counterprotester came to the scene — prompting angry chants to erupt from the main protest.

Protesters gather at the corner of Portage Path and West Market Street during an "ICE Out of Akron" protest in Highland Square on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

I cannot believe my eyes as the National Guard smoke-bombs protesters — citizens standing up for the disappearance of their friends, family, and neighbors under the false pretense of an “invasion.”