DHS Officers Clear Antifa Rioters from New Jersey ICE Facility
Antifa rioters set fires and clashed with police outside a Newark ICE facility Saturday after New Jersey's governor finally allowed state police to clear protesters blockading the site.
The disorder followed U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s victory Friday when the state’s Democrat governor finally directed local police to disperse rioters blockading the site, according to Breitbart News.
Video footage captured masked individuals surrounding a bonfire in the middle of the street, with large groups of rioters filling the roadway. Additional clips showed law enforcement officers forming a shield line and advancing into the area as Antifa protesters shouted obscenities at them.
Meanwhile, ICE released photos of migrants detained at Delaney Hall, accompanied by their criminal records.
After state police broke the protesters’ blockade on Friday, Mullin declared it a win for law and order and noted that Governor Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) had initially refused to allow state law enforcement to assist but ultimately reversed her position.
As Breitbart News reports, Sherrill faced substantial pressure from the left to support the blockade, in part because the state’s large population of welfare-dependent illegal migrants represents a political goldmine for the Democratic Party machine in New Jersey.
Democratic officials framed the Antifa defeat as a safety measure. Jennifer Davenport, New Jersey’s Attorney General, released a midnight statement claiming the action was taken to ensure the safety of everyone involved, including what she characterized as overwhelmingly peaceful protesters.
On Sunday, Sherrill acknowledged the violence outside Delaney Hall warranted additional police support to protect neighbors and law enforcement officers. However, she claimed ignorance about why the individuals attacked or what they sought to accomplish, and insisted she would not let these dangerous actions detract from New Jersey’s dedication to public safety and keeping people safe from ICE. She also demanded that detainees inside Delaney Hall be treated with dignity.
Additional video footage showed Antifa members deliberately approaching mounted police officers while waving makeshift orange shields at them.
Early Sunday morning, DHS released video footage of the nearly deserted area and stated that rioters would not slow down enforcement operations. The department confirmed the perimeter around Delaney Hall remained fully closed and that no rioters had breached it overnight.
Democratic leaders have portrayed the detained migrants as martyrs and called for Delaney Hall to be permanently closed.
On Friday, protesters reacted with anger after their well-organized and well-funded efforts against ICE and state police officers were defeated, with arrests made among their ranks, Breitbart News reported.
With information from Breitbart News
