Union protesters converge on AvalonBay in Rockville Centre

A crowd of union demonstrators that police estimated at between 300 and 350 staged an angry protest at the AvalonBay construction site on Banks Avenue Wednesday afternoon. Setting up four large inflatable union rats, the crowd was protesting the use of non-union workers at the site -- as they had before in Rockville Centre.

Village police officers had to call for additional assistance from Nassau County police after the demonstrators, who paraded past King Kullen to Sunrise Highway and then back to the construction site, got into a heated confrontation with workers and management. According to police, there were angry words, some pushing and shoving and items being thrown. At least one window was broken on the building of high end rental units that is scheduled to open in June.