Teaneck Police Investigating Trashed Campaign Sign

TEANECK, NJ — Police have begun an investigation after photos were posted online of a member of the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee allegedly discarding campaign signs for Board of Education candidates.

A police report obtained by Patch has been filed in the matter, and says that the incident happened at Golden Grill, located at 1397 Queen Anne Rd., on Sunday. The report details that a woman, believed to be Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee member Gina Gerszberg, removed campaign signs for school board candidates Darryl Greene and Yassine Elkaryani, eventually throwing them in the trash.

After putting the sign for Elkaryani and Greene in the garbage, Gerszberg is alleged to have replaced it with a campaign sign for Dennis Klein, Victoria Fisher and Jonathan Rodriguez, photos and the police report show.

Photos of the act were posted to Facebook by Nathan Smalls, and police said they were also able to match a license plate number of a white Mercedes-Benz parked outside the restaurant to Gerszberg.

Deputy Chief of Police John Faggello confirmed with Patch that "Teaneck Police Department personnel are actively investigating this report."

Both Greene and Elkaryani were quick to respond, calling the actions "white privilege" and "dirty politics".

"In a community which says that Black Lives Matter, it saddens me to have seen the pictures of Teaneck Democratic Committee Secretary Gina Gerzberg aggressively come into a traditional African American Restaurant and tear down the political sign of myself, an African American, and a Muslim American," said Greene.

"It was reported that she double parked her white Mercedes only to come in and not only take my sign down but to carelessly shove it in the garbage, and then take a picture of her dirty work. This is the Epitome of white privilege."

"Darryl and I are focused on running a positive, issue-oriented campaign for our children and for our schools," added Elkaryani. "Unfortunately, Mrs. Gerzsberg, one of the sponsors of Mrs Fisher's kickoff parties, are focused on dirty politics. Our kids deserve better."

As of 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the Teaneck Democratic Municipal Committee has declined to comment. Gerzsberg did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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