An upstate New York courtroom got a nasty surprise on Tuesday in the form of some six-legged invaders.
The Associated Press reports that Albany City Courthouse had to be closed for fumigation after someone released hundreds of cockroaches during an arraignment hearing. According to the news service, an altercation broke out in the courtroom after a defendant began filming the proceedings and refused to stop. During the fracas, someone with plastic containers full of cockroaches released the insects into the courtroom.
Court officers arrested a 34-year-old woman for disorderly conduct, obstructing governmental administration, and tampering with physical evidence. However, it wasn’t clear if she was directly responsible for releasing the cockroaches. According to The Albany Times Union, the woman was part of a group arrested for protesting rent issues at the state capital. The report indicated that the cockroaches may have been on infested pieces of lettuce.
“What transpired is not advocacy or activism. It is criminal behavior with the intent to disrupt a proceeding and cause damage,” said the Office of Court Administration in a press statement. “Taxpayers shouldn’t foot the bill for these actions.”