WEST NEW YORK – It’s common for those fighting city hall to complain about police harassment of campaign workers.

But in an interesting twist in this town, the mayor is the one complaining.

Felix Roque, who is trying to win reelection in the May 14 city commission race,  released a video (see below) Saturday of a supporter being arrested by three police officers. Roque, who elaborated Sunday at a press conference at the scene of the incident, 5300 Bergenline Avenue, said a supporter of his, Dante Joa, was simply distributing the mayor’s campaign literature. He was also playing music.

How loud was the music?

That seems to be the crux of the matter.

Police say they responded to a noise complaint. They did not say from where it came, but Roque said it came from the storefront headquarters of his opponents, which is about a block away on the other side of the street.

As can happen in these cases, a dispute arose and when it ended, Joa was on the ground and under arrest.

And then the mayor was complaining about police harassment.

“I could not believe my eyes,” Roque said. “I see systematic oppression of our liberties.”

Not short on rhetoric, Roque, who called for the state AG to investigate, compared what’s happening in West New York with what one sees in Cuba and Venezuela.  The Cuban reference is hardly a throwaway
line; many town residents are immigrants from Cuba or related to those who are.

Some may say at this point, “Wait a minute. Doesn’t the mayor oversee the police?”

That’s an understandable observation. But this is a different form of government.

The five members of the city commission each oversee an individual municipal department – public works. public safety, public affairs, finance and recreation.

Roque used to oversee public safety (police and fire) but no longer does so.

The police are now overseen by Commissioner Gabriel Rodriguez, who happens to be Roque’s main opponent in the upcoming election.

Rodriguez accused the mayor of being “desperate for headlines,” adding that any conclusion about the incident is very premature. He said Roque’s quick opinion  about the arrest shows his “lack of leadership.”

Rodriguez also issued a police department release that said Joa refused to provide identification.

“The officers at this point deemed him to be uncooperative and proceeded to place him under arrest,” the release said. Once his identification was confirmed, police said they discovered Joa had an outstanding traffic warrant. Additionally, he was charged with resisting arrest and “obstruction with the administration of law.”

As Rodriguez spoke, a small group demonstrated outside his campaign office, chanting. among other things, “Justice for Joa.”