'No One Cares,' Says Zoom Bomber Before Hoboken Meeting Is Halted

HOBOKEN, NJ — A virtual meeting held Wednesday to discuss the redevelopment of the Neumann Leathers building in Hoboken — an old factory building used by artists and musicians — was Zoom-bombed by an intruder and had to shut down, officials confirmed.

City spokeswoman Marilyn Baer said Thursday, "The Hoboken Police Department has launched an investigation into last night's incident and the meeting will be rescheduled for January.”

According to Hudson County View, as Community Development Director Christopher Brown was talking about plans for the building that were approved in 2015, the virtual intruder wrote "No one cares LOL" on the screen.

After writing "Losers" and scribble, pornography appeared. The meeting was shut down less than 15 minutes after it started.

Apparently, someone did care about the meeting; a user emailed Patch after the 6 p.m. start time to ask why her link didn't work.

The practice of Zoom bombing has gone on since 2020. Typically, a person gains access to a meeting and then displays porn or slurs, causing organizers to have to end the meeting.

Recent incidents have affected virtual court hearings in Texas and other public meetings.

Federal prosecutors have warned that Zoom bombing is more than a prank: it's a federal offense.

The Neumann Leathers building is located at 300 Observer Highway. Find out more about the meeting and the redevelopment here.