Section of popular soccer field in Paterson set on fire

PATERSON, N.J. (PIX11) -- Part of a popular soccer field in Paterson was set on fire over the weekend. It was the same field that was renovated last year after it was damaged by flooding two years ago.

Part of the soccer field at Pennington Park was set on fire, leaving dozens of youth athletes in Paterson without a place to play a sport they love.

“These people decided to vandalize a field that we use dearly, and I was just really upset about it,” said Samuel Martinez.

“People come in and ruining the field where kids play on is embarrassing honestly as a town. We are a community,“ said Ehab Abutabikh, coach for the Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology soccer team.

This field is also home to the Kennedy High School varsity soccer team. Their first home game this week won’t be happening at the field.

“These are sacred spaces, and once you violate sacred spaces, people take that personally. My heart hurts knowing that a field we just renovated for a million dollars is now damaged and our youth can’t use it,” said Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh.

The fire department responded to the field Saturday at around 2:30 a.m. It is still unclear who is responsible. Two adult teams use the field for matches on weekend nights.

“It looks like it was someone against the Bangladeshi American league, this adult league, because they went out of the way to write on the field and cross out the name of the league,” Sayegh said.

Parents like Joseph Pollina said the damage done is more than physical.

“Kids growing up in a city is the only way they have to express their thoughts. This is their escape,” Pollina said.

The city is trying to get the field back open within one to two weeks. The young boys hope it happens sooner than later.

“It affected the community. Now most kids can’t play on the field, and it is a very sad thing,” said Elvis Levassaur.

It remains an active investigation.