Hundreds Of Cockroaches Liberated In City Court

A courthouse in upstate New York was closed for fumigation Tuesday after hundreds of cockroaches were released during an arraignment, according to court officials.

An altercation broke out during proceedings in Albany City Court for four people concerning an arrest at the state Capitol. A defendant was told to stop filming the proceedings.  The altercation that followed included hundreds of cockroaches that had been brought into the courthouse in plastic containers being released, according to the state court system.

The incident was being investigated while the courthouse was closed for fumigation.

Court officers arrested a 34-year-old woman seated in the audience for charges related to the altercation, including disorderly conduct, obstructing governmental administration, and tampering with physical evidence.

“What transpired is not advocacy or activism, it is criminal behavior with the intent to disrupt a proceeding and cause damage,” read a statement from the Office of Court Administration.