$ is not defined

[ptahchiev]

I'm using this library with React like this:

connection.chatstates.sendComposing(action.msg.to);

but I get the following error here:

strophejs-plugin-chatstates/strophe.chatstates.js

Line 31 in a0a7c55

if ($(message).find('error').length > 0)

react_devtools_backend_compact.js:13096 ReferenceError: $ is not defined
    at F._notificationReceived (bundle.js:157635:5)
    at Handler.run (bundle.js:153255:23)
    at bundle.js:154689:27
    at Array.reduce (<anonymous>)
    at bundle.js:154686:39
    at Object.forEachChild (bundle.js:152641:9)
    at Connection._dataRecv (bundle.js:154684:15)
    at Bosh._onRequestStateChange (bundle.js:156662:9)

Is this plugin only supposed to work with JQuery? Can it be refactored to work with plain vanilla javascript like the other plugins (like the mam plugin for example)?