2 More Lakewood Gatherings Broken Up Amid Coronavirus Shutdown

LAKEWOOD, NJ — Two more people received summonses in Lakewood on Tuesday after police were called to break up a large gathering and a wedding, Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday.

In his daily update on the outbreak of the new coronavirus, Murphy again stressed the ban on public gatherings that he ordered on Saturday in part of efforts to slow the spread of the new coronavirus across New Jersey. The number of reported cases in Lakewood has risen substantially in the last week; Ocean County officials said 141 township residents have tested positive as of Wednesday afternoon.

"Our social distancing directives are not polite suggestions," Murphy said. "They are there for a reason: to flatten the curve, to cut off the surge" of cases that lead to hospitalization and stress on the state's health care system.

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"Our first responders should not be expending their limited PPE and putting themselves at risk by breaking up large gatherings like they did twice yesterday in Lakewood and over the weekend in Salem County," Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said in a statement released Wednesday evening.

Grewal said a large group who gathered at a tent for a wedding reception about 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday. As police responded, the homeowner continued the wedding ceremony, he said. That homeowner, Meir T. Gruskin, 37, was charged with a disorderly persons offense for violating the Murphy's emergency order banning gatherings. The crowd dispersed when the ceremony ended, Grewal said.

Lakewood Police Capt. Gregory Staffordsmith said the wedding happened at a home on Newport Drive.

Grewal said the second incident happened at a school on Main Street. He said police responded at 5:52 and found about 25 teenage and adult males. "Upon conclusion of the gathering, officers advised the school’s headmaster, Abraham Bursztyn, 48, that he was violating the emergency order and issued him a summons, charging him with maintaining a nuisance, a disorderly persons offense," Grewal said.

Staffordsmith, in an email, said police were called to the Main Street site at 8 a.m. He did not identify the person who received the summons.

"Anyone else who threatens public health by holding large gatherings during this emergency' will be charged, Grewal said. "Our message is clear: stay home!”

Those incidents happened despite repeated warnings from both Lakewood police and Murphy's office to cease as the state continues to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The number of people who have tested positive for the virus across New Jersey was 4,402 as of Wednesday afternoon, according to state figures, and 62 people have died.

The number of reported cases in Lakewood rose nearly 68 percent from Tuesday's Ocean County Health Department report to Wednesday, going from 84 to 141 people who have tested positive for COVID-19.

"The Lakewood Police are asking that its citizens be responsible and obey the directives set forth by the State of New Jersey for the safety and health of all. Those who choose not to will be subject to criminal prosecution," Staffordsmith said Friday, after two weddings were halted and a yeshiva forced to close.

There have been at least five weddings dispersed since March 16, when Murphy issued an executive order limiting gatherings to 50 people. He ordered all schools, public and private, and all institutions of higher learning to close as of Wednesday. Two weddings were broken up March 17, and two more were broken up March 19. Two homeowners were issued summonses in the Thursday incidents. Read more: Occupied Lakewood Yeshiva, Weddings Amid Coronavirus Spark Anger

The repeated violations continue to spark anger in neighboring communities and fuel complaints of preferential treatment, despite the criminal complaints that have been issued.

On Saturday, Murphy directed deputy attorney generals and prosecutors to be on call 24/7, and to be ready to deal with potential violators. Read more: Gov. Murphy Announces NJ 'Stay-At-Home' Order Due To Coronavirus

"We are really damned unhappy and we're going to take action," Murphy said Saturday. "We don't win a war by putting your feet up. You win it because everybody rows the boat together."

"When we say no gatherings, we mean no gatherings," Murphy said Wednesday. "We mean business. We take no joy in saying no gatherings."

Murphy said he will continue to highlight incidents where people ignore the order, ";articularly people who are being jerks and doing stupid stuff," though that remark appeared to be directed at yet another incident of a man spitting at someone and claiming he had the coronavirus.

"Stay home," Murphy said. "It is no time for business as usual."

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