Police in US arrest several people after curfew imposed outside New Jersey immigration detention center

New Jersey State Police in the US arrested several people Sunday night outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark after authorities imposed an emergency curfew following clashes between protesters and law enforcement.

The curfew, covering a half-mile radius around the facility, took effect at 9 pm after a group of demonstrators pushed toward a law enforcement zone, attacked barriers, threw projectiles at officers and set a fire on the street, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said.

Davenport said many protesters had complied with repeated warnings to leave the area before the curfew deadline. However, a group who had come equipped with helmets, shields and gas masks refused to disperse and were arrested. "Their actions put the public at risk," she said, while expressing gratitude for de-escalation by law enforcement.

Davenport also acknowledged the majority of demonstrators had been peaceful, saying they had been "shining a light on the troubling conditions at Delaney Hall," and reaffirmed the state's commitment to protecting the right to peaceful protest while ensuring public safety.

The unrest followed nearly a week of demonstrations at the privately operated detention center.

The privately-operated detention center has also become the focus of criticism from detainees, some of whom are said to be on a hunger strike for what they describe as poor food quality and inadequate medical care.

The Trump administration has denied the allegations and accused protesters of engaging in disorderly conduct and assaults on law enforcement officers.