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A slice of controversial national politics came to the First United Methodist Church on Central Avenue on Sunday as about 40 demonstrators protested against the U.S. Navy’s bombings in Vieques, Puerto Rico.

The protesters who came from the New Jersey Peace Action Committee, the church and the community said they want the Navy to stop bombing the tiny island off the coast of Puerto Rico and to clean up the mess left behind.

The Navy has dropped several tons of depleted uranium spent fuel from bombs on the island, said Silvia Zisman of the Union County Committee for Peace and Justice.

“We have adopted a resolution to get the Navy out of Vieques and to make them clean up the contamination they have caused,” said Madelyn Hoffman, director of the New Jersey Peace Action Committee. “They must do both. We are behind the people of Vieques.”

The Navy has used its range on Vieques, home to 9,400 people, for 60 years and has contended the range is vital for national security. The Navy denies that the island has been contaminated by the bombings, as protesters claim.

Melissa Mark Viverito, coordinator of Todo Nueva York con Vieques, told the audience that the island was expropriated by the Navy and the people are being exposed to contamination from the bombings. “Those people, especially the women, have high instances of cancer,” she said. “Those people have a cancer rate 30 percent higher than the people in other parts of Puerto Rico. Asthma rates are astronomical.”

Mark Viverito voiced support for the Rev. Al Sharpton, New York State Assemblyman Jose Rivera and Bronx County Democratic Party chairman Roberto Ramirez, all of whom were arrested for trespassing on Navy property at a May 1 protest against the Vieques bombings in New York City.

The three men were sentenced to 40 days in jail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn Sharpton started a hunger strike on Tuesday to show support for the anti bombing effort.

“These are people in high positions and they have helped give this issue the publicity it needs,” Mark Viverito said.

Kirk Robbins, a Fanwood resident and member of the church, said protests like the one held Sunday are important because it brings attention to the issue.

“Most people are aware of the situation, but they don’t pay attention,” Robbins said. “This brings it to their attention. We’re on a front lawn in a public place and we have to keep doing this to raise awareness.”

Angel Quintana, a native of Puerto Rico, said he served in Vietnam and believes that the Navy in Vieques is forcing the people of the island to go along with something they don’t support and have no voice to stop.

“We’re not against the Navy, we’re not against the U.S., but we are in favor of protecting what we fought for,” he said.