In New Jersey, chaos erupted outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, courtesy of some very passionate protesters. With scenes that seemed to rip straight from an action movie, the protests quickly turned violent, despite the state’s Democratic governor’s attempts to establish protected protest zones. Peaceful protest? Well, that didn’t last long. Instead, we got a night filled with scuffles, tear gas, and pepper spray, turning the streets outside Delaney Hall into an unlikely battleground. If anyone still wonders why people often say common sense and politics rarely meet, here’s Exhibit A.

Last night, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the ICE facility, with a small group of pro-ICE supporters facing off against a much larger anti-ICE crowd. You would think that barricades might keep the peace, but they ended up being about as effective as a screen door on a submarine. The situation escalated after nightfall when a different breed of protesters, equipped with helmets and gas masks, took to the streets, as though they were gearing up for some “Mad Max” re-enactment. The state police stepped in with shields, batons, and a good dose of pepper spray, attempting to restore order before things spiraled even further out of control.

The governor finally decided it was time to involve the state police to calm things down. Better late than never, right? Funny thing about this whole situation is how predictable it was. Mysterious professionals seem to have materialized out of nowhere, some folks suspiciously well-prepared for chaos. Must be nice to have such spontaneous dedication to mayhem. Still, one might wonder, if the governor had acted sooner, could this have been prevented? Of course, our friends on the left might argue otherwise, but the question hangs thicker in the air than the tear gas used the night before.

Interestingly, the protests seemed to morph from voicing grievances to some who’ve taken it as an open invitation for threats and violence against federal officers. One protester, now facing charges, allegedly decided the best way to make a point was to kick and bite ICE officers. Clearly, there’s an irony here somewhere—opposing alleged mistreatment by dishing out some of your own. For an added touch, ominous threats to officers’ families ramp up the tension like the climax of a dramatic soap opera. Meanwhile, the Justice Department is moving ahead with charges, and for good reason; some things just won’t be tolerated.

At the heart of this uproar, there were allegations of poor conditions and inadequate food in the ICE facility. Pictures of a supposedly spoiled menu have been floating around. But take a gander at what was actually being served, and it sounds pretty standard, if not a notch above your typical cafeteria fare—complete with a variety of lunch and dinner entrees. Well, at least the detainees get options, unlike in some fine dining spots. Nevertheless, the larger debate at hand circles around the broader agenda, where rumors about the ultimate aim to close down these facilities have surfaced, reminiscent of a broken record that never seems to stop playing in the background.

So while New Jersey remains a hotbed of dissent and discord, the notion of civil unrest shifts yet again from a theoretical concern to a vivid reality. And as day turns to night and the cycle seems poised to repeat, one can only hope common sense—or perhaps just a simple conversation—can find a way to elbow its way back to the party.