Activist Disrupts International Women's Day Luncheon in Huntington Station, Confronts State Senator

An International Women’s Day luncheon at a Huntington Station restaurant turned confrontational Friday when an uninvited activist entered the private event and shouted at State Sen. Monica Martinez, according to both elected officials involved.

Joshua Chan, deputy director of Islip Forward, a nonprofit that tracks U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity on Long Island, gained entry to the invitation-only luncheon at Fogo de Chão around 12:25 p.m., according to Suffolk County Leg. Sam Gonzalez, who hosted the event.

Gonzalez said in a statement that Chan entered “under false pretenses” and disguised himself as a Muslim woman by wearing a hijab. After arriving, Chan engaged in what Gonzalez described as “violent behavior toward” Martinez and “had to be physically removed” from the restaurant by the legislator’s chief of staff, Luis Montes Brito.

Video footage posted to social media by Islip Forward shows Chan shouting “Monica, Sen. Martinez, why don’t you support immigrant women?” as Brito physically pulled him from the restaurant.

The confrontation stems from ongoing tensions over Islip’s contract with ICE, which allows federal agents to train at the town’s shooting range. Islip Forward has criticized local officials for supporting the arrangement.

“Legislator Gonzalez has repeatedly refused, even publicly, to stand with his own constituents against Islip’s ongoing ICE contract, instead preferring to participate in salsa concerts and becoming a radio show personality,” Islip Forward said in its statement following the incident.

The organization defended Chan’s actions, claiming he was “assaulted” by Brito and Gonzalez’s aide, Delaya Huilcapi. “We showed up to say what too many politicians hope no one will: You can’t ignore your community and expect silence. Islip Forward will keep showing up,” the group stated.

Martinez characterized the disruption as a “deliberate, premeditated act of harassment and intimidation” and said she has “been a target of Islip Forward before.” The Brentwood Democrat described the organization’s actions as part of an escalating pattern.

“Their campaign of harassment has been ongoing, escalating and organized,” Martinez said in her statement. “Today it crossed into dangerous territory.”

The state senator called on colleagues, community leaders, and law enforcement to take the situation seriously. “The pattern of behavior exhibited by Islip Forward’s Deputy Director and his associates represents a genuine threat to the safety of elected officials and the integrity of civic life,” she said. “We cannot wait for something worse to happen before we act.”

Suffolk County police officers responded to the incident, according to a department spokesperson. However, no charges were filed in connection with the disruption, and Chan had left the scene before officers arrived.

“The man never made contact with Sen. Martinez and there were no injuries,” the Suffolk police spokesperson said in an email.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions between local immigrant advocacy groups and elected officials over immigration enforcement policies. Islip Forward regularly monitors ICE activity on Long Island and has been critical of local officials who support cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Both Gonzalez and Martinez represent Brentwood, a community with a significant immigrant population that has been affected by federal immigration enforcement activities in recent years.

The confrontation occurred during what was intended to be a celebration of International Women’s Day, an annual observance recognizing women’s achievements and advocating for gender equality.