May 10, 2025
Higher Heights for America Stands with Congresswomen Watson Coleman, McIver, Mayor Ras Baraka, and Other Elected Officials Following Delaney Hall Arrests and Protests
Higher Heights for America
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BROOKLYN (May 10, 2025)-– In the wake of troubling events at the Delaney Hall detention facility—including the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and the physical assault of Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman during a peaceful protest—Glynda C. Carr, President and CEO of Higher Heights for America, issued the following statement in support of the Black elected leaders who are courageously confronting injustice and demanding transparency and accountability from this administration:
“The events that unfolded at the Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, are an outrageous abuse of power and a violent display of this administration’s anti-Black, anti-immigrant, and anti-democratic agenda.
Black women members of Congress, including Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman and LaMonica McIver, showed up in their rightful authority to investigate a facility whose reopening—without proper permits and in defiance of community opposition—epitomizes the systemic injustice we are fighting against. Instead of being welcomed in their constitutional role of oversight, they were met with physical force by armed officers. Congresswoman Watson Coleman was manhandled. Congresswoman McIver was shoved. That is not just disrespect—it is an attack on democracy itself.
Their presence was not a stunt. It was a courageous continuation of a legacy—Black women putting their bodies on the line to defend our communities and hold power to account. And that same unwavering courage was shown by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was disgracefully arrested and detained simply for standing with his constituents and demanding transparency and justice. If they can arrest a mayor and assault members of Congress in broad daylight, what message does that send to the rest of us?
As Congresswoman Watson Coleman said so plainly: “This is un-American… this is not our country. This is not what we live for, fight for, stand for.”
Let us be clear: what happened at Delaney Hall is not oversight gone awry—it is authoritarianism creeping through the gates, using law enforcement as a shield for injustice. Over 20 armed officers were deployed not to protect, but to intimidate. This is what oppression looks like.
And yet—our leaders stood firm.
Higher Heights for America stands in unwavering solidarity with Representatives Watson Coleman and McIver, with Mayor Baraka, and with every elected leader—particularly Black leaders—who refuse to be intimidated. Their leadership in this moment is a reflection of our highest democratic ideals and a continuation of Black resistance and resilience.
To those who seek to silence us: We will not be quiet. We will not back down. And we will not forget.
Our outrage will fuel our action. Our voices will ring louder than your hate. And our votes will dismantle the systems that perpetuate this injustice.
To every freedom-loving American: the time is now. Organize. Mobilize. VOTE. The road to justice runs through our collective power—and we are walking it shoulder to shoulder.”
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About Higher Heights: Higher Heights envisions Black women as being fully represented and holding significant political power at all levels of government in order to achieve full access, equity, and justice for all Black people. We strive to create a democracy that reflects the diversity and strength of our communities. We will create a future where Black women are at the forefront of American democracy, as it is essential to creating a better future for all.