NEWARK, N.J. – In response to escalating tensions between demonstrators and law enforcement, the mayor of Newark has enacted a curfew near a local immigration detention center. The curfew, announced early Sunday, follows a series of confrontations at the facility.
The restrictions, surrounding the Delaney Hall detention center, will be enforced from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. and will remain in effect indefinitely, according to a statement from Mayor Ras Baraka.
This decision comes on the heels of another intense night of clashes, where protestors and police faced off. Images and videos circulating online depict protestors clashing with barricades as officers wielding riot shields attempt to disperse the crowds. A particularly striking scene showed officers on horseback advancing into groups of demonstrators.
The protests at Delaney Hall, which began earlier this month, were sparked by reports that detainees initiated a hunger strike in protest of the substandard conditions at the 1,000-bed facility. This has become a focal point of dissent against federal immigration policies.
On Friday, New Jersey state police took over from federal immigration enforcement agents who had been engaged in prolonged standoffs with protestors at the site.
Governor Mikie Sherrill issued a statement Sunday morning, describing how masked protestors attacked a barrier in a designated protest zone established by state police. The individuals reportedly threw projectiles, used barriers as weapons, and set tires ablaze in the street, heightening the conflict.
“These actions put both peaceful protestors and law enforcement in danger,” Sherrill said, urging calm to focus on advocating for “better conditions for the detainees, for their families, and ultimately, for the closure of Delaney Hall.”
Sherrill also said that the federal government has reopened family visits at Delaney Hall starting Sunday.
