There were some tense moments Wednesday afternoon just before a news conference meant to rally support for a Black teen who was handcuffed by police during a fight with another teen at the Bridgewater Commons Mall last month.

Z’Kye Hussain was joined by several civil rights groups and his family's attorney, Ben Crump, who also represented the families of Trayvon Martin and Breonna Taylor, for a press conference. But just before it began, a group of activists interrupted the speakers.

“I'm here to support Z'Kye but to support the bigger picture because I was Z'Kye. I've been harassed from this police department from 12 years old to 18 years old,” one of the activists said.

It is not clear who the members of the group were. But they came to make their point and to emphasize the mistreatment of Black people by the police.

News 12 New Jersey spoke with Kason Little, of the Elizabeth chapter of Black Lives Matter, about the situation. He likened this time in the United States to the continued mourning in the Black community.

"We need to make sure that we're representing all Black lives in the struggle and in the fight for Black lives and in the struggle for Black liberation,” Little said. “As organizers, as leaders, as members of our community, and especially as Black people, we need to make sure that we're coming to each other's defense in all aspects."

The interruption lasted about 45 minutes. The news conference did continue but was moved inside the Bridgewater Municipal Building. The building also houses the Bridgewater Police Department. Those who organized the rally said that their stance remains the same.

"We're all there to demand justice for Kye, to demand swift termination for the officers that applied excessive use of force on Kye - that had their knee on his back for a number of minutes and discriminated against him because of the color of his skin,” Little said.

News 12 New Jersey was told that Hussain’s legal team has filed federal civil rights charges against the police officers involved in mall incident.