Who pushed whom? Counter charge in alleged assault on blogger
Hoboken political activist Lane Bajardi, a vocal opponents of Mayor Dawn Zimmer, has filed a counter complaint against a blogger who had accused him the week before of allegedly snatching his camera at a school board election forum on April 12. Bajardi had been arrested by police after the complaint was filed.
Both the complaint and counter complaint follow years of simmering internet exchanges involving pro- and anti-Zimmer activists, some targeted at Bajardi because of his alleged words and actions.
The incident driving the complaint and counter complaint occurred two weeks ago, when police arrested Bajardi after he was accused of allegedly assaulting and grabbing the camera of blogger Roman Brice, who posts comments on the internet as “Smarty Jones” and the “Hoboken Horse” and writes a blog called Mile Square View.
According to Brice’s initial police complaint, Bajardi approached him while Brice was taking pictures of the crowd before the school board forum. Bajardi asked Brice if he “wanted to play games,” the first police report on the incident states, and Brice replied, “Sure I want to play chess.”
Brice’s complaint states that Bajardi became irate and allegedly shoved Brice to the ground, which some eyewitnesses have disputed. The complaint goes on to say that Bajardi allegedly grabbed Brice’s camera from around his neck, began to walk away, and motioned as if he were going to throw the camera against the wall.
Brice followed Bajardi and took his camera back, according to his account.
According to another publication’s report based on witnessing the event, Brice started taking photos of Bajardi, there was an exchange of words, and things got heated near the low-rising steps in the building where the forum was taking place. The account said that neither man actually fell to the ground, and did not confirm who may have pushed whom.
The official charge against Bajardi from the first report was robbery, due to the alleged taking of the camera, but it has since been downgraded to a disorderly person offense. Police noted that the arrest was based largely on Brice’s testimony, with minimal investigation, and would have to be heard in court. Brice said the incident occurred in front of several witnesses.
Unlike most states that define minor infractions as “misdemeanors” and serious crimes as “felonies,” in New Jersey an individual is either charged with a “disorderly person” offense, a minor infraction heard in municipal court, or a “crime,” which is automatically sent to the county prosecutor’s office.
Upon hearing the robbery complaint, a superior court judge immediately downgraded the charge to simple assault, a disorderly person offense, and sent it back to municipal court to be heard.
Some of Bajardi’s allies are claiming Brice exaggerated his account to encourage police to arrest Bajardi. And some of Brice’s allies are surprised that Bajardi, a member of the media by profession, would allegedly attempt to take a camera from a photographer, especially at a public forum.
Bajardi attended the official Board of Education meeting the day after the forum incident and was almost removed from the building after publicly accusing the board majority of associating with the woman behind a different blog, GrafixAvenger, who designed a picture of the opposing school board slate in a punch bowl containing human excrement. A picture of Bajardi’s head was later put into the same punch bowl with a bottle of the cologne, Obsession.
The GrafixAvenger blog is written by a Zimmer ally, Nancy Pincus, who was appointed to the Zoning Board by the mayor late last year.
Bajardi is said to be a strong supporter of Zimmer’s political foe, Councilwoman Beth Mason. Recently, he has been more and more of a target of his political opponents’ ire. But some bloggers have alleged that Bajardi has been behind posts critical of Zimmer on other sites.
Brice has expressed opinions on Bajardi’s actions in the past on his own site. Last November, he posted a blog entry saying of Bajardi, “You have become completely tactless, obnoxious, overbearing and rude in your personal attacks on the acting mayor in the City Council and it’s absolutely disgraceful.”
This past Thursday, Bajardi went to the police station and made a counter-complaint against Brice. The complaint was for alleged simple assault in the same school board incident. Like the first complaint, it was based solely on the filer’s account.
The police report notes, “Bajardi is now alleging that Mr. Brice struck him with both hands in his chest area causing him to lose his balance, fall into the auditorium seating and sustain injury to his left hip. Additionally, Mr. Bajardi stated that he has been [allegedly] harassed by Mr. Brice since October of 2009. Mr. Bajardi said that specifically, his integrity, credibility and family have been called into question by Mr. Brice and that as a result, has caused him annoyance and cause for alarm. He also said that the initial incident was a culmination of this [alleged] harassment which was escalated by Mr. Brice to [alleged] assault.”
Police said they have prepared a summons regarding charges of simple assault and harassment against Brice.
Again, charges against both parties were made based solely on both parties’ testimony.
It should be noted that many of the internet complaints against and about Hoboken political activists are left on various internet message boards under pseudonyms, although many people have expressed theories on who has been using which pseudonym. Some of those complaints have become severe, attacking the political players’ appearances, personal life, and professional life.
Housing Authority health fair
The Hoboken Housing Authority and Save The Youth Academy are hosting the Spring 2010 Family & Friends Health Fair on Saturday, May 1, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the Mama Johnson ball field at Fourth and Jackson streets.
The health fair, which will be the latest installment in an ongoing series launched by Housing Authority Commissioner Jake Stuiver in September, will focus on the theme, “You Are What You Eat.” HHA residents are invited to participate in a cooking contest that will be judged at the event, and winners will receive gift certificates to local restaurants.
Fourth Ward Councilman Michael Lenz, who recently lost more than 150 pounds by dramatically improving his diet, will participate in the contest and speak about the benefits of a nutritious diet.
Several bicycles and scooters will be given to children as prizes, and Mayor Dawn Zimmer will lead a bike ride around the neighborhood, as she has at previous health fairs in the series. There will also be an obstacle course run by HHA Executive Director Carmelo Garcia and Police Athletic League Director Robert Gohde, and a karate class sponsored by STY Academy Director Luis Acevedo and taught by Ray Rodriguez.
For more information, call the Hoboken Housing Authority at (201) 386-6663.
Small business symposium
The first in a planned series of quarterly symposiums sponsored by The Hoboken Chamber of Commerce and the Hoboken Business Center takes place on Wednesday, April 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hoboken Business Center, 50 Harrison Street, Seminar Room/Suite 213.
The free series kicks off with “Marketing & Advertising” featuring a panel of marketing, advertising and public relations professions based here in Hoboken.
A question and answer session will follow the presentations; wine and cheese will be served providing participants and panelists the opportunity to meet and network.
Limited seating is available; participants must RSVP. For additional information, call (201) 792-6648. Parking is available on site.
Free shuttle for festival
The city is providing a free shuttle bus for the Arts & Music Festival next weekend, especially for senior-housing tenants and Housing Authority residents.
The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 2. Shuttle service will run continuously during those times, with a one-hour lunch break for the driver.
The stop locations are 220 Adams St., 221 Jackson St., corner of Fifth and Jackson streets, 501 Madison St., corner of Ninth and Clinton streets, Fox Hill Gardens, and First and Garden streets.
Brunch kicks off synagogue restoration
The United Synagogue of Hoboken kicks off Phase 2 of the restoration of the historic Star of Israel synagogue at a special brunch this Sunday, April 25, featuring a presentation by Dr. Vivian Mann, a noted scholar on Jewish art.
The brunch begins at 10:30 a.m., on Sunday, April 25, at the United Synagogue of Hoboken, 115 Park Ave. Dr. Mann speaks at 11 a.m., followed by a presentation of Phase 2 plans.
The Star of Israel was dedicated in 1915 and has served continually since then as a spiritual home for the Hoboken and wider Hudson County Jewish communities. Phase 1 of the restoration was completed for the High Holidays in 2009. Focused on improving safety and infrastructure, it included replacing all wiring and installing a new roof. For further information contact Ken Schept at (201) 659-0015 or by e-mail at kschept@gmail.com.
Series explores moral paradox
“Beyond Never Again,” a six-part course about the Holocaust, will premiere in more than 300 locations worldwide, including Hoboken. Created by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI), the world’s largest network of adult education, “Beyond Never Again” has won support from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Yad Vashem, and more than 100 centers and institutes devoted to studying the Holocaust around the world.
The course runs for weeks beginning this Wednesday April 28. 7 pm at TD BANK, 47 Newark St. It costs $100 (includes student text book) – special couple price: $150. To book or learn more visit www.MyJLI.com or call 201-386-5222. No Prior knowledge or level of observance required.
Stevens exhibition at W Hotel
Stevens Institute of Technology is sponsoring MINDFARM, the end-of-year student venue showcasing work created by Art & Technology and Music & Technology majors at Stevens. The exhibit opens at 6 p.m. and runs through 9 p.m. on May 2, 2010 at the W Hotel Hoboken.
MINDFARM will present live and recorded music compositions in conjunction with digital and traditional visual art. The Great Room at the W Hotel Hoboken will house student-created sculptures, drawings, digital prints, photography, computer animation and video. Attendees will also experience digitally recorded musical compositions, music videos and a live concert of student vocalists and instrumentalists.
For additional information, visit www.stevens.edu.
HOHA Classic
On Sunday, May 16, the Hoboken Harriers Running Club (or HOHA) and All Saints Community Development Corporation will hold the 12th annual HOHA Classic 5-Mile Race, starting at 10 a.m. at Pier A Park, one block north of the PATH station. A shorter, 1-mile Fun Run for children will be held at 9:30 a.m.
The five-mile course, the only race route in town which is farther than 3.1 miles, includes a significant hill, and as such it is considered a greater challenge by the runners.
Proceeds from the race will benefit the Jubilee Family Life Center, a non-denominational community center in Hoboken that provides after school youth programs for Hoboken’s needy.
Advance registration is $20, and race day registration is $25; the fun run is $5. Advance registration is available on the Internet, through a link at www.hoha.net, or you may complete and submit an application through the mail if postmarked by May 11. Applications can be obtained at Fleet Feet running store, located at 604 Washington St. For more information, visit www.hoha.net.
Citywide yard sale
Hoboken is planning its first “citywide yard sale” for Saturday, May 15. Any home or building in the city can have a yard sale that day, and if they let the city know, the city will put it on a master list for flyers and a map that will be distributed throughout town. This way, buyers know where to stop and shop.
There is a voluntary suggested donation of $10 per household or $25 for a group of households planning one together.
Condo residences must get permission from their homeowner’s association before registering. Everyone must keep their sidewalks safe, and clean up after the sale.
The hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the rain date is Sunday, May 16.
There is a form to fill out to participate, which may be mailed to City Hall. For more information, call the Department of Cultural Affairs at (201) 420-2207 or visit the city website at www.hobokennj.org.