Protester Arrested At Black Lives Matter March In Ridgewood

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Video of a young woman being arrested during Saturday's Black Lives Matter protest in Ridgewood sparked anger and demands that state authorities intervene. The Ridgewood police chief says the woman was arrested after she refused police orders to get out of the street.

The arrest sparked a second protest outside the Ridgewood police headquarters later in the day.

Police Chief Jacqueline Luthcke said Ridgewood police were monitoring the protest at the corner of East Ridgewood Avenue and Broad Street when marchers were asked to stay on the sidewalk, instead of marching in the street.

The request was safety reasons, for the protesters and for that of passing motorists, Luthcke said.

Luthcke said the group said they were still planning to march in the street, so police warned them that if marchers tried to block traffic, they would be arrested.

Police allege Thriamargret Bernabe, 22, of Ridgewood, then walked into the street directly into the path of a vehicle. When she was told to go back to the sidewalk or be arrested, she refused. At that point she was arrested, Luthcke said.

In the video, Bernabe is seen in handcuffs in the middle of the street, but it's unclear what preceded the arrest.

Bernabe has been charged with obstructing a highway or other public passage and was released, accompanied by her attorney, pending a future court date, Luthcke said.

"The Ridgewood Police Department fully supports the right of citizens to protest peacefully and safely," Luthcke said. "We also support the rights of citizens to be free from others imposing upon their civil liberties."

Bernabe's arrest was circulated widely on Twitter in the video by Zellie Imani, who tagged Gov. Phil Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal.

Ridgewood for Black Liberation contested the police account, saying Bernabe was not deliberately blocking traffic.

The incident sparked an additional protest outside the police department.