TAKING IT TO THE STREETS: A 19-year-old Yonkers, NY woman was arrested on a riot charge, among others, after a protest on Saturday and again on Sunday regarding conditions at the county jail for ICE detainees.
HACKENSACK, N.J. -Police said she had been previously arrested in the last month for rioting, disorderly conduct, and obstruction in New York.
Lizbeth Vazquez,was arrested on the following charges:
- Riot – commission of a crime
- Disorderly conduct – inappropriate behavior – creation of a hazardous condition
- Criminial trespass – defiant trespass
- Terroristic threats – threat of crime of violence
- Unlawful possession of a weapon – other weapons
- Aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer
- Possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose – other weapons
A Bergen County Sheriff Officer, with the assistance of Hackensack Police, arrested Vazquez after leaving the protest in front of the Bergen County Jail on Sunday, Dec. 13.
The protest was outside of the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack where approximately 150 people gathered on Saturday to protest conditions for ICE detainees.
In a Sunday morning press conference, Sheriff Cureton said the Saturday protest grew “unruly.” Later on Sunday, another protest occurred.
Lizbeth Vazquez and others were upset with Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton contract to imprison ICE detainees and that those detainees might face death if they are returned to their home countries.
The ICE detainees are on hunger strike over the deplorable conditions they face and for their freedom
Sheriff Cureton said during his Sunday press conference that 92% of the detainees have been convicted of serious crimes, including murder and sexual assault.
In some news reports the Sheriff Cureton’s actions were overly aggressive and repressive has he deployed ominously named and heavily armed “Rapid Deployment Force” against protesters.
Some protesting were said to have chanted, ” ‘Why are you in riot gear, I don’t see no riot here!”