An anti-ICE demonstration outside Delaney Hall in Newark turned violent when a 26-year-old protester allegedly bit federal officers during clashes, leading to federal assault charges and sharp condemnations from top officials. The scene has sparked a hard-line response from federal leaders who say law enforcement must be protected while local cooperation and crowd control remain in dispute.
Authorities say Brendan John Geier, 26, of Madison, New Jersey, was part of a group blocking a road near the detention center when deportation officers ordered the crowd to move. Prosecutors allege the group refused those orders and jostled with officers, escalating into physical violence that included kicking and biting. Two officers reportedly needed treatment at a local hospital after the alleged wounds.
Federal prosecutors charged Geier with assaulting federal officers and causing bodily injury, and he appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cari Fais. The charges reflect a push to treat attacks on federal personnel with the full weight of the law, and they underscore the dangers agents faced while carrying out their duties. Officials insist these are criminal acts, not protected protest behavior.
“We will not tolerate the vicious attacks on ICE officers we’ve seen in New Jersey the last few days. These riots are clearly not ‘peaceful protests’ as you can see from the photos of these horrific wounds. Assault a federal officer, you’ll be held accountable,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote in a Friday afternoon post on X. Blanche also posted photos of injured agents to social media to emphasize the physical toll on officers during the clashes.
“Peaceful protest doesn’t translate to violently attacking federal law enforcement officers,” Blanche said in a statement. “Federal officers are protecting United States’ property and facilities. With virtually no local law enforcement support from New Jersey, rioters are regrouping and attacking. We will not tolerate the vicious attacks we have seen in Newark the last few days, and we will make arrests and hold people accountable for criminal conduct.”
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin echoed the hardline stance in a statement focused on backing law enforcement. “As alleged in the Justice Department’s complaint, this violent rioter savagely bit an ICE law enforcement officer outside of Delaney Hall. The Trump Administration will always stand with our law enforcement officers,” Mullin said. “Anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey stressed that obeying lawful orders matters and that attacks will not be tolerated. “As alleged, this defendant responded to lawful orders from federal officers by kicking one and biting two others who were performing their official duties,” Frazer said. “Assaulting law enforcement officers is unacceptable. Period. Federal officers must be able to carry out their responsibilities without being subjected to violence, intimidation, or obstruction. This Office will continue to prosecute those who, as alleged here, assault officers and interfere with the lawful execution of their duties.”
Homeland Security Investigations personnel in Newark made a similar point, pushing back on any attempt to frame violent behavior as protected expression. “To be clear, peaceful protest does not mean biting, kicking, or punching law enforcement officers,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas added. He also warned that assaults on federal officers are criminal acts and that HSI will pursue accountability to the fullest extent.
The demonstrations have now stretched into a second week with tensions high on both sides of the barrier. On Saturday morning both anti-ICE protesters and counterprotesters were present, with crowds growing and officers patrolling on bikes, creating a sharp, visible divide between supporters of enforcement and those opposing it. Federal officials have publicly complained about a lack of local cooperation, saying the absence of municipal law enforcement allowed rioters to regroup and attack.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, who attended Delaney Hall over Memorial Day in a show of support for the anti-ICE crowds, announced that State Police would assume responsibility for public safety outside the facility. Earlier federal statements blamed local leaders for hampering coordination with federal immigration authorities and for restricting law enforcement collaboration. The dispute over jurisdiction and crowd control now sits at the center of a larger political fight about how to secure federal sites while respecting public demonstration rights.
