Jersey City filed a legal request to stop the closure of a local hospital Saturday evening following a turbulent protest at the health care facility.

University Heights Hospital, one of only two hospitals in Jersey City, is owned by Hudson Regional Health. The City of Jersey City's corporation council, at the direction of Mayor James Solomon, filed an emergency injunction to prevent HRH from closing the hospital.

The original deadline for the closure was set for this evening.

Earlier in the day, dozens of protesters gathered in front of the hospital. Two people were arrested for trying to enter the facility through a back door.

In a statement, Solomon said "In recent days HRH sought to negotiate a deal to keep the hospital open long-term if the City agreed to fast track the process to begin a luxury residential development project on the site. Jersey City does not negotiate with lives of our residents, while their offer demonstrated the hospital could remain open."

HRH claims that they are closing University Heights for financial reasons, having suffered over $70 million in losses at the facility last year.