Local leaders and residents are responding after an incident on March 9 in Avondale where children and families leaving Ballet Folklorico de Chicago were harassed by neighbors, who also threw liquid on them and threatened to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The event has raised concerns about the safety of community spaces for children and the presence of hate-related behavior. The confrontation occurred around 10 p.m. as students and their families exited the dance studio at 3006 N. Pulaski Road. Video footage shows a woman yelling at the group to leave while a man pours clear liquid from a balcony onto them. The woman is heard saying, “You’re lucky ICE is not here,” according to the video.
Police said that multiple cups of what appeared to be water were thrown at the group, which included teenagers aged 13 to 15 and three women. Ofelia Guerra, founder and executive director of Ballet Folklorico de Chicago, said this was not the first time such incidents had occurred with these neighbors. She described previous threats involving ICE references and noted that police had been called before due to confrontations over parking spaces or harassment of children playing outside.
“They told them to go back inside or else ICE is going to come pick them up,” Guerra said regarding an earlier encounter. “We don’t do anything to provoke them back. We haven’t gotten any complaints from any other neighbors.”
A police investigation into Friday’s incident is ongoing. Guerra stated she plans to file an order of protection against the neighbors involved. The man and woman accused denied being racist or pro-ICE when speaking with CBS2, saying their complaints centered on noise from the studio.
Support for Ballet Folklorico has come from local officials including Alderman Felix Cardona Jr., who called it a “hate incident.” Cardona said, “I want to be clear: Incidents of hate, intimidation, or discrimination have absolutely no place in our community. What makes this situation even more concerning is that this act was directed towards children.” Alderman Ruth Cruz assisted Guerra in contacting police leadership, while other neighbors have offered support.
Founded as a nonprofit in 2018, Ballet Folklorico aims to preserve traditional Mexican folk dance through lessons for all ages and has performed citywide at cultural events as well as Bulls and White Sox games. The organization also provides scholarships for local high schoolers and recently moved into its current Pulaski Road location.
Guerra reported that since Friday’s event, online harassment toward Ballet Folklorico has increased with negative reviews appearing on some platforms. Despite this, she expressed gratitude for community backing: “I’m extremely proud of the work we’ve done to provide a safe space to our dancers.… I’m so sad there’s this hatred,” Guerra said. “It’s been overwhelming to know we have the support and know we make a difference in the community.”
