New allegations of violence inside Delaney Hall are raising renewed concerns as families, advocates and demonstrators continue protesting outside the Newark detention facility, demanding answers and accountability. Demonstrators gathered outside the facility Thursday for a seventh consecutive day, standing in solidarity with detainees participating in an ongoing hunger and labor strike.

What began as a peaceful day of prayer and singing escalated after family members and advocacy groups alleged guards inside units 2A and 2B used pepper spray and physically assaulted detainees during an incident on Thursday afternoon.

Several relatives say they received frantic phone calls from loved ones describing chaos inside the facility.

“At 1:35 p.m., I got a call from my husband screaming and saying, ‘Mama don’t be scared, but I got hit,’” said Gabriella Fuentes, whose husband is detained inside Delaney Hall. “I could hear people in the background coughing, saying, ‘Help’… choking in the back. I asked what was going on and he said, ‘They’re spraying pepper spray at us and we can’t breathe. Call somebody that could help us, please.’”

Family members claim the incident began shortly before 2 p.m. after guards allegedly attempted to remove a detainee who had been translating for others inside the facility.

Reps. Analilia Mejia, Rob Menendez and Frank Pallone were granted access to Delaney Hall on Thursday to inspect conditions inside.

“We’re hearing stories of, like, ‘My case was going to be heard, it was canceled because I was on hunger strike or protesting,’” said Pallone. “Or ‘I was transferred out because I was protesting.’ This is why this place can’t stay open.”

Advocates are now urging Gov. Mikie Sherrill to intervene.

“I understand the difference between the federal government and the state government and the limitations,” said Kathy O’Leary, with Eyes on ICE. “But there are levers of power that she can lean on. There’s a demand right now for doctors to go in and check everybody out. She should be doing everything she can to make that happen and she should be meeting with the families.”

The allegations come as the Department of Health was expected to conduct a full-access health inspection of the facility Thursday. Sherrill says inspectors were only allowed to access a limited portion of the building.

Demonstrators outside Delaney Hall say they plan to remain outside the facility until further action is taken and the detention center is shut down.