Crime & Safety
VIDEO: Protesters, Police Clash Again At Bergen County Jail
For the second day in a row, protesters were arrested as a hunger strike among ICE detainees continues.
HACKENSACK, NJ — Video from Saturday's protest at Hackensack's Bergen County Jail shows a clash between police and protesters, who have been gathering outside the jail since Nov. 27 in support of a hunger strike among Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees.
Bergen County activist groups, as well as Northjersey.com, reported throughout the day that law enforcement officials on the scene were outfitted in riot gear, and had set up additional barriers to keep protesters away from the jail.
Video shows the moment when tensions, which had been rising since last Sunday, boiled over between law enforcement and demonstrators.
Find out what's happening in Ridgewood-Glen Rockfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Here is a video of the scene – viewer discretion advised. The opinions of the poster do not reflect Patch:
Moments ago, protesters outside Bergen County Jail moved across the street to get closer. Police immediately threw several people down for arrests. #AbolishICE pic.twitter.com/Me7jndC40D
— NYC Protest Updates 2020 (@protest_nyc) December" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/protest_ny... 12, 2020
As recently as an hour ago, protests continued, but had moved to the Bergen County Justice Center.
Find out what's happening in Ridgewood-Glen Rockfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The protest has moved to Bergen County Justice Center, blocks away from the jail where ICE detainees remain on hunger strike. pic.twitter.com/blB26p7dCw
— NYC Protest Updates 2020 (@protest_nyc) December 12, 2020
According to Northjersey.com, police deployed pepper spray before 6 p.m.
The Bergen County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Saturday marks the second consecutive day a protester has been arrested outside the jail.
Niko Sanabria-John, 25, of Teaneck, was arrested Friday and charged with trespassing, obstruction of a governmental function and resisting arrest.
Tensions between law enforcement and protesters have been rising since Sunday when protesters blocked traffic outside the jail.
Then, this week, Sheriff Anthony Cureton's house was vandalized when someone spray-painted "free them all" on the garage of his Englewood home.
The Abolish ICE NY/NJ Coalition released a statement in the wake of that story, stating clearly that they were not responsible for the vandalism.
"The Abolish ICE NY-NJ Coalition and the organizations it represents are not responsible for the vandalism at Sheriff Anthony Cureton's house. Our sole focus is supporting the men currently on hunger strike for their freedom," they wrote.
READ MORE: VIDEO: Teaneck Man Arrested At Bergen County Jail Protest
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