Twelve people were arrested Monday after demonstrating outside a Northern New Jersey congressman’s home and refusing to leave his private driveway, according to police.
U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who serves the state’s 5th congressional district, was not at home during the incident, which played out near his home in Bergen County, according to a spokesperson for Gottheimer.
Police said a group of about 40 people gathered at 1 p.m. inside Russell Farms Community Park in Wyckoff for a planned demonstration. Public records show Gottheimer, 46, owns a home a few blocks from the park.
The group left the park at one point and walked into a nearby neighborhood with police officers following, according to a spokesman for the Wykcoff Police Department.
“As the group assembled in the neighborhood, they were advised to not block any roadways or enter onto any private property,” police Lt. Joseph Soto said in a statement.
One woman called herself the group’s “law enforcement liaison” and advised police that some demonstrators “had assembled with the intent of being arrested,” the statement said.
A protester is arrested Monday in Wyckoff.Boyd A. Loving
After ignoring several warnings from police to move out of a private driveway, 12 people were arrested, according to Soto.
“They were transported into headquarters and charged with criminal trespass,” Soto said. After their arrests, they were released and given court dates, Soto said.
Two of the demonstrators were from New Jersey, six were from Pennsylvania, three were from New York and one was from Michigan, according to police.
Gottheimer, a Democrat, represents portions of northeast Bergen, Passaic, Warren and Sussex counties.
Police did not say who the protesters were with, but a youth group calling itself “Sunrise Bergen County” said on social media that protesters from the Northeast were in Gottheimer’s neighborhood to urge the Democrat to take action on climate change issues and to resist bowing to corporate interests.
Gottheimer has come under fire from progressives for insisting that the House pass the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill without waiting for an agreement on separate spending legislation that would fight climate change while expanding health coverage and child care. Gottheimer supports both bills. Critics say his efforts to pass the infrastructure legislation before there was an agreement on the second spending measure would make it harder for progressives to get their priorities passed.
The New Jersey congressman and other moderate Democrats are meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House Tuesday to discuss the bill.
Representatives of Sunrise Bergen County did not immediately respond Tuesday to requests for comment.
Gottheimer’s office confirmed the protesters were arrested in the driveway and accused them of frightening the congressman’s family.
“Occupying a congressman’s property crosses a line of basic decency and, in this case, left his family concerned for their safety,” a spokesperson said. “The congressman was not home at the time. We appreciate the timely action of our local police departments.”
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Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.