FBI and CPD at Clifton Skate Zone - No Cause for Concern (updated)

Update 2/16/23: The Clifton Times has learned that the FBI presence at Skate Zone earlier this month was a staging area for the arrest later that day of Clifton resident Nicholas Malindretos. Malindretos was charged with one count of attempted use of fire to damage a building after he was allegedly seen on video footage throwing a Molotov cocktail at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield.

Clifton resident and reporter for The Clifton Times, Rachel Castelino, was walking her dog in Weasel Brook Park Wednesday morning when she came upon an unusual scene - "...I noticed that the skate park was completely full of vehicles and men in FBI jackets. Then I noticed the armored truck and armed soldiers in camo with large guns and I became worried.  I walked over to make sure that we weren’t in any danger and the officer explained to me that this was an area for collecting resources for an operation they were mounting elsewhere."

Clifton Detective Lieutenant Bracken confirmed that there was a scheduled operation to happen elsewhere, the specifics of which he was not able to share. He said that a statement from another agency would be issued in the coming days. Clifton residents are in no danger.

Please check back with The Clifton Times for updates.

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