NEWARK, NJ - Protesters gathered outside of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in New Jersey earlier in June reportedly fell victim to the elements during a windstorm that saw the agitators’ various camping setups and personal belongings thrashed and upended by the heavy winds.
As previously reported in Law Enforcement Today, the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, New Jersey, has recently served as ground zero for anti-ICE activists and demonstrations, with protests and unrest having escalated in recent weeks to the point of requiring law enforcement intervention.
However, as reported by journalist Nick Sortor, the anti-ICE activists posted outside of the Newark facility on June 6 were fighting against an unconventional force they were seemingly unprepared for, as gusting winds tore through their established encampments and scattered much of their personal belongings.
According to local reports regarding the storm that impacted the northern portion of New Jersey on June 6, a cold front had “swept through the region, bringing strong thunderstorms, damaging wind gusts, heavy rainfall, and localized flooding.” Areas such as Jersey City and Newark were heavily impacted by the strong winds, which resulted in toppled trees, scattered debris, blocked roadways, and damaged power lines.
Video footage from outside the Newark detention facility shared by Sortor on social media illustrated the effects the windstorm had on the anti-ICE activists, depicting protesters clutching tents and canopies that were being thrust by the wind.
captioned the shared video with a humorous observation that “God is VERY entertained tonight” while poking fun at the fact protesters were “ducking and covering” to shield themselves from the elements.
Additional reports noted that over 20,000 residents across northern New Jersey were still without power the morning following the storm, a notable decline from the estimated 42,000 residents across the state who were without power the prior evening. National Weather Service meteorologist Matthew Wunsch said that gusts of wind reached speeds of up to 60 miles per hour during the peak of the storm.
the storm settled in Newark on the evening of June 6, Newark Police declared an unlawful assembly outside the Delaney Hall detention facility once anti-ICE agitators were no longer deterred by the weather and resumed their riotous activities.
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