UMVA has learned that a 26‑year‑old New Jersey man was seized by federal authorities after allegedly sinking his teeth into two ICE officers during a tumultuous protest outside Newark’s Delaney Hall detention center.
The suspect, identified as Brendan John Geier of Madison, was taken into custody Thursday and faces federal charges for assaulting officers and causing bodily injury.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the violent episode unfolded around 10:30 a.m. as ICE agents attempted to secure the perimeter of the facility, only to be met by a dense crowd of demonstrators blocking the access road.
Prosecutors say the protesters ignored repeated commands to retreat, forcing the officers to advance in a tight line. Amid the chaos, Geier is said to have lunged forward, delivering a savage bite to one officer’s forearm and another’s knuckle before being subdued.
Both officers were rushed to a local hospital for treatment, underscoring the severity of the encounter.
In a statement, the Acting Attorney General condemned the assault, stressing that peaceful protest does not excuse violent attacks on federal law enforcement tasked with protecting government property.
Authorities reported that nine individuals were arrested during the Thursday clashes, and additional arrests remain possible as the investigation widens.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that federal agents employed pepper spray and other crowd‑control measures to disperse the demonstrators, who have been gathering at the detention center for more than a week.
Officials warned that anyone who assaults a law‑enforcement officer will face the full force of the law, emphasizing a zero‑tolerance stance toward such “vicious attacks.”
