Delaney Hall Anti-ICE Clashes Continue Despite Gov’s Order
Anti-ICE protesters clashed with federal agents outside Newark's Delaney Hall detention center Friday despite Governor Mikie Sherrill's peaceful protest zone attempt.
According to New York Post, the unruly mob continued chanting vile slogans throughout the evening and refused to disperse as law enforcement deployed tear gas and pepper spray to control the crowd.
The agitators directed profanity-laden chants at federal officers, with some shouting threats and labeling ICE agents as murderers. Video footage captured protesters breaching an orange protective fence at the facility, dragging the barrier aside and continuing to trespass on federal property.
ICE agents were observed physically restraining protesters, grabbing them and forcing them to the ground when necessary. New Jersey state police arrived on horseback to push the crowd back from the Newark facility while other officers in riot gear maintained a defensive line with shields.
Captain John Chrystal, president of the Newark Police Superior Officers Association, told New York Post that his department has been effectively handcuffed by the governor’s orders.
Chrystal stated that police officers have been told to stand down, calling the situation a political hot potato. He confirmed that the Newark police administration has been receiving orders from both the mayor and Governor Sherrill.
Sherrill had announced Friday afternoon that peaceful protest zones would be established immediately, claiming the state needed to cool things down. She deployed New Jersey state police to Delaney Hall on Friday night after facing accusations of preventing local law enforcement from assisting federal agents.
The governor stated that her top priority is public safety and that she would not give ICE a pretext to expand operations in New Jersey. However, her promised de-escalation measures failed to materialize as violence continued into the night.
The protests began over Memorial Day weekend following complaints from detainees about conditions inside the facility, including allegations of overcrowding, poor food quality and limited access to hot water.
The Trump administration has countered these claims, asserting that living standards at Delaney Hall exceed those of most American prisons.
With information from New York Post
