Around 6:27 PM on June 2, 2026, Lieutenant Jose Escaleira with the Elizabeth Police Department was dispatched to Woodruff Circle Park (1050 Mary Street) on a report of political advertisements being displayed on City property. He first made contact with multiple females who were wearing political t-shirts and holding a large sign that encouraged people to “Vote for Jose Rodriguez.” They were advised that they were not allowed to display any political signs in the park, according to Ordinance 12.48.050. They began arguing with him, and a male named Justin Shoham arrived on scene shortly afterwards. Justin claimed he was the campaign manager and that the officers were violating their First Amendment rights. The officers read the ordinance to Justin as well, and he eventually agreed to walk to a friend’s house while carrying the sign. As he stood on the sidewalk, the officers advised him that he could not obstruct a public sidewalk, and that he had to keep walking. He repeatedly argued with the officers. The other females working for the campaign also continued to make derogatory comments towards the officers. Eventually, the females left the park in a vehicle. After a while, a situation arose where a child had supposedly lost his phone. Justin told the child that another female had found his phone. Lieutenant Escaleira told Justin that he could not put the political advertisement down on the park grounds, but he would help him put the sign down in the street. As Lieutenant Escaleira went over to help him with the sign, Justin elbowed the officer in his chest. At this point, Justin was advised that he was under arrest. After a brief foot pursuit, Lieutenant Escaleiara and Lieutenant Turner tackled Justin to the ground, handcuffed him, and placed him inside the patrol car. Justin was transported to the Elizabeth Police Department for further processing. Both officers later submitted Use of Force reports related to this case. Justin was charged with the following: 1) Aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer (2C:12-1B(5)(A)) 2) Resisting arrest (2C:29-2A(1)) 3) Obstructing the administration of the law (2C:29-1A) As of September 25, 2026, Justin’s charges are still pending before the Elizabeth Municipal Court. ---------------------------------------------- Please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and consider supporting this channel (email us for more information). Our content is shared for educational and news gathering purposes. We are in compliance with YouTube's Fair Use Policy because we edit several long clips into a concise story. This is similar to other law enforcement channels on YouTube. All videos and case documents were obtained pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. (P.L. 2024, c.16). Defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty. The New Jersey Supreme Court has previously affirmed in Salzano v. North Jersey Media Group, 993 A.2d 778 (2010) that “The fair-report privilege reflects the judgment that the need, in a self-governing society, for free-flowing information about matters of public interest outweighs concerns over the uncompensated injury to a person's reputation.” This video advances a compelling public interest. The summary of events was based on records that are “open to public view through open access to public records” as defined in the Salzano case. In Ramos v. Flowers, 429 N.J. Super. 13, the Appellate Division of the Superior Court has also affirmed the right to film law enforcement interactions.

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