NEW JERSEY - New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said State Police temporarily cleared the area outside Delaney Hall on Saturday as officers worked to secure a path for vehicles leaving the facility.
What we know:
Davenport said New Jersey State Police sought to ensure the safe passage of vehicles transporting employees out of the Delaney Hall facility Saturday evening.
According to the attorney general, most people gathered outside the facility complied with State Police requests to clear a path for the vehicles.
Davenport said a limited number of people did not comply with repeated requests to clear a safe passage for the vehicles.
"A limited number did not comply with repeated requests to clear a safe passage for the vehicles and took dangerous actions, including deploying fireworks and throwing gas canisters at law enforcement, that put everyone in harm’s way," Davenport said in the statement.
Davenport said State Police temporarily cleared the area outside Delaney Hall to ensure the safety of everyone involved, including what she described as "the overwhelmingly peaceful protesters at the facility."
"We remain committed to protecting everyone’s safety and their constitutional right to protest peacefully," Davenport said.
The backstory:
Delaney Hall, an immigration detention center in Newark, has been the site of days of protests over reported conditions inside the facility.
The Associated Press reported that New Jersey State Police were sent to establish designated protest zones and vehicle checkpoints outside Delaney Hall on Friday, replacing federal immigration agents who had clashed with protesters for days.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill said State Police were sent in to bring order outside the facility as demonstrations intensified, according to the Associated Press.
Delaney Hall protests continue as State Police clear area outside Newark facility
What we don't know:
The attorney general’s statement did not say whether anyone was arrested or injured during Saturday evening’s response.
The statement also did not say how many people were involved in the actions described by Davenport.
What's next:
State officials have said the goal is to keep the area safe while preserving the right to protest peacefully.
Delaney Hall remains the focus of ongoing demonstrations as questions continue over conditions inside the facility and law enforcement’s response outside it.
The Source: This article was written using information from New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Associated Press.