New Jersey Rioter at Delaney Hall Charged for Kicking and Biting ICE Officers

A New Jersey man was arrested yesterday and charged with assaulting federal officers and causing bodily injury.

Brendan John Geier, 26, of Madison, New Jersey, was charged by complaint today and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cari Fais.

"Peaceful protest doesn't translate to violently attacking federal law enforcement officers," said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. "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."

"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," said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. "Anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

"As alleged, this defendant responded to lawful orders from federal officers by kicking one and biting two others who were performing their official duties," said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. "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."

"To be clear, peaceful protest does not mean biting, kicking, or punching law enforcement officers," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark. "The repeated assaults on federal officers at Delaney Hall are criminal acts - not protected speech. Homeland Security Investigations is unwavering in its commitment to hold those who attack law enforcement fully accountable under the law."

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, on May 28, officers of the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) were engaged in official duties relating to security and crowd-control operations during a demonstration near the ICE Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey. Certain ICE deportation officers were assigned to conduct perimeter enforcement for the facility, which included clearing the road leading to and from the facility for vehicles.

At approximately 10:30 p.m., a large group of demonstrators was blocking that road. Deportation officers, in an attempt to clear the road, formed into a line and began to move towards the group of demonstrators, which included Geier. The deportation officers issued commands to the demonstrators to "move back," but the demonstrators, including Geier, ignored those commands and refused to clear the road. Geier instead engaged in a struggle with deportation officers, kicking officers and ultimately biting an officer's forearm, and another's knuckle. Both victims received treatment at a local hospital.