May 25 (UPI) — Protests at a federal immigration detention center in Newark, N.J., escalated over the Memorial Day weekend as local Democratic officials, including New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, voiced support for detainees who say they’re on a hunger strike.

Protesters led by the pregnant wife of a man held at Delaney Hall by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents began gathering outside the privately run facility on Friday, then grew in number as the weekend progressed before clashing with ICE agents early Monday morning.

Video obtained by WCBS-TV showed ICE agents wielding batons and pepper spray wading into a group of angry protesters.

Witnesses told the online publication The City the incident happened as agents prepared to transfer the husband of Gabriela Soto — who has been leading the weekend protests — out of the facility in van and protesters attempted to block its exit.

Soto’s husband, Martin Soto, is among the Delaney Hall detainees who announced Friday they have started a hunger strike to protest what they call inhumane conditions at facility, which is privately owned and operated by the GEO Group.

“Because I started this protest outside to close Delaney Hall and free every detainee here they were retaliating on him,” Gabriela Soto told NJ.com. “If I have a miscarriage because of this pressure, I will sue them.

“I am tired of them controlling the situation. He is in that van. I saw him resisting to get in the van; they forced him in there, two big ass guards. He was handcuffed. They were trying to move him.”

Later on Monday, Sherrill, U.S., Sen. Andy Kim and New Jersey Reps. Rob Menendez and Analilia Mejia and joined the protesters and demanded access to the facility.

Sherrill said she was denied entry, which raises “serious questions about what they are trying to hide from public view,” she said in a statement.

“I have long opposed private detention facilities and will continue to advocate for the closure of Delaney Hall and against any expansion of mass detention facilities in New Jersey, like the proposed facility in Roxbury.”

Sherrill said stories she heard from friends and relatives of detainees about conditions inside were “heartbreaking. I will continue to hold ICE accountable.”

Kim and Menendez were allowed entry into Delaney Hall on Friday. Afterwards, Kim said what he saw inside was “absolutely unacceptable,” adding, “Shut it down NOW.”

Advocates said 300 of the detainees have joined together to stage a hunger and labor strike over conditions there, which allegedly include a lack of sanitation and potable drinking water.

However, Department of Homeland Security officials on Friday denied there was an ongoing hunger strike.

“There is no hunger strike at Delaney Hall at this time,” they said in a statement to NJ.com.