The gathering was for members of The Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the group is one of several extremist/black supremacist Hebrew Israelite groups.
(NJ Advance Media File Photo) TEANECK - Police were called to the Marriott at Glenpointe Thursday night after members of an alleged hate group booked an event in the ballroom, according to township officials.
The gathering was for members of The Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the group is one of several extremist/black supremacist Hebrew Israelite groups.
The organization was taken over in late 2000 by "Chief High Priest Tazadaqyah," born Jermaine Grant of Hackensack, who declared himself the "Holy Spirit" and "The Comforter," according to the Southern Poverty Law Center's website.
"Grant recently prophesied that a vengeful black Jesus would soon return to earth to kill or enslave all whites," the website states.
Hotel staff called police after security came in with the group, according to an email from police to members of the Teaneck Township Council.
"Hotel staff and security got spooked when they had an extra ordinary amount of onsite security," police stated in the email, which was provided to NJ Advance Media by a source in the township administration.
The email did not state how large the security force was or whether the security crew carried weapons. Teaneck police were not available to comment Friday afternoon.
The Bergen County Police Chiefs Associations' Rapid Deployment Force went to the area of the hotel, a county official confirmed. The RDF is trained in crowd control.
The official could not say whether the group's security crew was armed.
The email stated the group was planning to have more than 300 followers in attendance.
The event was booked as a religious event, according to the email.
The email states a police sergeant and a detective were dispatched to try to "survey what's taking place inside the hotel."
There were no disturbances at the meeting, according to the email.
The gathering began at 8 p.m. and ended at 1 a.m.
A Marriott employee declined to comment.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.