A courthouse in upstate New York was closed for fumigation Tuesday after hundreds of cockroaches were released during an altercation that erupted at an arraignment, according to court officials.
The standoff erupted during proceedings in Albany City Court for four people for an arrest at the state Capitol. A defendant who began filming court proceedings was told to stop. That’s when hundreds of cockroaches brought to the court in plastic containers were released, according to the State Judicial System.
The release of the insects is still being investigated, while the courthouse was closed for the rest of the day due to fumigation.
Court officers arrested a 34-year-old woman at the hearing on charges related to the altercation, including disorderly conduct, obstruction of government administration and tampering with physical evidence.
She was released and it was not immediately clear if she had an attorney to speak on her behalf.
“What occurred is not advocacy or activism, it is criminal behavior with the intent to disrupt a process and cause harm,” read a statement from the Office of Court Administration.
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