New Jersey Charges Organizer Amid Trump-Backed Protests Meant To 'Liberate' Stay-At-Home States

[EarthFirst]

Source: Forbes

New Jersey charged an organizer Friday for violating Governor Phil Murphy’s executive order, as small gatherings continue to pop up to protest state stay-at-home orders—following President Trump’s tweets encouraging people to “liberate” three Democratic-led states.

According to a report from the state’s attorney general, “Kim Pagan of Toms River was charged by the New Jersey State Police with violating the emergency orders by organizing a prohibited event today in Trenton in which protesters gathered outside the State House and at other locations”

New Jersey hasn’t been shy about breaking up gathering and charging individuals, but the violation comes amid a smattering of anti-lockdown gatherings in Arizona, California, Colorado, Maryland, Texas, Utah and Washington.

New Jersey has the second-most confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the country with 81,391. On Monday, it was announced that New Jersey and five other Northeastern states would coordinate on when and how to reopen the economy, calling it the “COVID corridor.” The White House released guidelines on Thursday to help governors decide how to reopen parts of their states, but New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has asked for additional funding and help coordinating to ramp up testing. “If you want states to reopen, we need funding,” Cuomo said Saturday.



Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattperez/2020/04/18/new-jersey-charges-organizer-amid-trump-backed-protests-meant-to-liberate-stay-at-home-states/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Gordie/#676f7264696

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Good! Private political interests masquerading as protest in a crisis is un-American /nt

[SheltieLover]

2. Good, but

likely a misdemeanor charge, sadly. Should all be charged with domestic terrorism & rocket docketed to 20+ years each with lots of media coverage. This shit would stop instantly.

Remember James Fields who murdered Heather Heyer? Life sentence + 419 extra years. How many of those types of incidents have you seen since then? Zip here.👍

[turbinetree]

13. I say reckless endangerment

https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/2015/title-2c/section-2c-24-7.1/

https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/2013/title-2c/section-2c-12-2/

[SheltieLover]

16. That, too

But they are terrorizing sane people, especially those in high risk groups.

Plus, domestic terrorism, no doubt, carries heftier prison sentences.

I am not an attorney btw. I'd considered law school tbh, but could never stomach the culture.

[3Hotdogs]

15. No N.J. has more serious charges for this type of bullshit.

[McKim]

22. Excellent Point!

Excellent point, Sheltie! The Science and Medical Community and their families are Hoppin’ mad about these gatherings. They need to be stopped from harming people.

[SheltieLover]

23. Yes they do & coddling them only serves to enable, which emboldens

Infuriating to say the least!



Lock them up!

Just as any other group gathering, this is endangering themselves & others. Lock them up!

[ToxMarz]

3. Lock her up

[George II]

4. Throw all of them in a single holding cell and hope one of them has the virus.

[stillcool]

5. I wouldn't think that would work..

in New Jersey. Jeez...that's really tempting the fates

[Tucker08087]

17. That's about an hour North of me.

The stupidity just increases the further South you go. Toms River is the county seat in Ocean County. My town is the last town southward before changing counties (which happens a mile down the road.) Ocean County is deep, deep red. Just to show you HOW deep, a guy I went to high school with and lived up the street ran for a position in a local election. It’s just assumed everyone here is a Republican. He’s well-liked by everyone- a great guy, very active in helping the community- he deserved to win. When he DID win, he put up thank you signs the next day and people began to realize they voted for a Democrat. (And yes, it’s clearly on the ballot.) Well, that night his house got burned down. The lot is still for sale. That’s Ocean County, right there in a nutshell. Emphasis on nut. I’m hoping she’ll face serious charges, but given the political climate of the justice system in Toms River, I have doubts unless it’s state or federal charges.

[Jake Stern]

21. Lived in LEH 89-92

Didn’t realize just how far right the county was until reading the Wikipedia entry for it.

[stillcool]

28. I wasn't thinking red/blue...

I was thinking of protesters outside the State house. New Jersey's numbers are through the roof. I guess if you have enough yahoo's, and don't have to import them from other states it's doable.

[3Hotdogs]

30. Last sentence of your post.

I believe she will be charged in Mercer County. The rally was in Trenton.

[gab13by13]

6. Nothing is stopping all of the red states from opening up.

Have at it. Except it will cause Covid-19 II.

[bluestarone]

7. Yea

Why don't they all go to a fucking red state? Good place for them

[Buckeye_Democrat]

8. Good job, New Jersey!

[The Magistrate]

9. Excellent, Sir

Let us hope the example spreads.

There is no reason whatever for state and local governments to tolerate this reprehensible behavior.

[SWBTATTReg]

10. Good. I hope other states will follow too. This is not a laughing matter, when it comes to ...

health, these protesters have no guarantees that they are clean of the CV virus, and thus free to mingle among others. I recall in one locality (I think overseas) that people had stamps on their wrists stating that they were supposed to be in quarantine, and they're not. They got some pretty stiff fines, when they got caught outside of quarantine.

I suspect with all of these idiot 'freedom fighters', that the CV will spread again, and we'll have another wave of CV illness/death (and IMHO, there's going to be waves and waves of CV outbreaks).

I won't go out until I feel its safe. I'm sure that a lot of us here on DU feel the same way. And in a way, by staying home, I'm supporting my governor (in MO believe it or not, he's republican but finally relented in shutting down the state, but he took his sweet ass time doing it (pardon the language, he does piss me off)). The mayor of our city did a far better response and implemented almost immediately a shut down (STLMO). She's a hero in my book.

Drivers are getting sick driving their public transportation vehicles (where they're still running), health care workers by the thousands are getting sick (while taking care of these CV victims, and all of the other sick people STILL), those at funeral services are getting sick, church goers are getting sick (those idiots who still go in person, when there's no need to), retail workers (at the front lines) are getting sick, and they doing it because of idiots like these protesters who are moaning and ranting about being stuck at home.

Ironically enough, these protestors can still go to the grocery stores, there are some essential business that they can still do (banking, etc.). Then what in the hell are you protesters complaining about?

By the way, guess who's getting applauded for their heroic actions? Not you, protester. Nice to rant and rave while people are getting sick and / or dying. Kind of pathetic ranting and raving about 'your rights' by being 'forced' to stay home. It is our medical workers, our police, our firefighters, our retail employees, anyone that is working literally on the front lines that deserves all respect, help, and aid we can give them, and not worry about someone's rights. This is not a political issue, it's a health crisis for heaven's sake. Get a grip.

In heaven's name, do the protesters think that others want to deal with them (while you're shopping and doing your 'freedom thing'), with the CV raging all about? I know a few retail workers (classified as 'essential', thus forced to work) would rather stay home. Definitely at home.

Some are actually taking their vacations and sick leave to avoid going to work in a retail environment, thus avoiding getting the CV possibly from a CV-infected customer of all people. My SO, in retail thinks so and so do I (stay home).

With every outbreak, a new wave of CV will appear. It's too spread into the population now (thanks TRUMP!, we have you to thank!!, and also the republican governors (all of them) who left their states open), thus there's getting better and better odds of getting the CV.

Like the medical pros say, wait. Take a deep long breath, count to ten, analyze trends, and open things very, very slowly. Open businesses based on type of business and the kind of human traffic it has. If businesses can continue to operate w/ shuttered doors, keep them shut for traffic, but still operate w/ closed and locked doors, for employee safety.

Make sure that CV tests (and the antibody tests too) are widely available and already in the hands of the states (get the worthless federal government out of the way, rump is worthless and killing people).

[spudspud]

11. They should do this in other states as well.

Set an example, and likely stop the typical astro turf support and bull shit shenanigans of the right when it comes to these "spontaneous" demonstrations. Who knows, maybe the ones who are the so called "leaders" of these demonstrations will spill the beans about the real power structure funding these demonstrations, in order to avoid jail time?

[procon]

12. Every city with stay home orders should be charging

all those who show up to protest as well as those responsible for planning the event. There are consequences for being stupid and a big fine would be an invaluable lesson. Additionally, all of the protesters should be tested and if positive then criminal charges should be added for endangering the public.

[yaesu]

14. all MSM networks are throwing gas on the flames, pushing it as front line news because it helps

their profits, they are just as bad as the orange clown they put in office.

[McKim]

24. Yes, and Just Whose Demonstrations are Getting Coverage?

Yes, and just WHOSE demonstrations are getting coverage? These idiots get a mob of 25 people together with their flags and they get on TV 24/7. When my husband and I organized a demonstration against The War on Iraq and got 40,000 people in the streets we got 2 minutes of coverage ONE time. Whose interests are being served here?

[BigmanPigman]

33. I have been thinking the same for the past few days.

They are feeding the frenzy. All about $$$, ratings and let's not forget how they helped tRump in 2016. Where is the next shiny distraction?

[packman]

18. Don't jail them

make them do so many hours in a nursing home or ER clinic.

[BadgerMom]

19. Love this!

💕❤️💕

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. Not very christian of Kim Pagan to endanger people. . . . nt

[SheltieLover]

25. If any

other mammal species on the planet endangered public health in this manner, they would be locked in cages & likely euthanized.

I guess humans are just so special, right? Clearly. Look at what this ilk & their leaders have done to our planet.

And now this!

[jayfish]

26. Don't Make These People "Martyrs".

IMO, the best thing to do is ignore these fools. They'll be crying "political prisoner" before you can bat an eye and riling up even more fools. Wait until this is over and make examples of them.

[rocktivity]

27. If the protestors genuninely want to make themselves useful

they should be demanding a rollout of the mass testing that is available now:

https://yourhhrsnews.com/mass-coronavirus-testing-debuts-in-edison-the-rest-of-the-us-next/


rocktivity

[howardmappel]

29. Black Lives Matter

Use all the tools against these MAGATS as were used against Black Lives Matter.

[Jake Stern]

31. Could you imagine what would happen if hundreds of black folks converged on Lansing or Columbus

armed to the teeth, blocking traffic and attacking the state capitol?

- There would be armored vehicles in the streets
- Damn near every cop within 50 miles would be on the scene
- The National Guard would be deployed

The media would be portraying it as a criminal act instead of a protest of fed up citizens.

[The Magistrate]

35. Peruse The History Of The Black Panther Party, Sir

And you will have the answer....

[madville]

32. Anyone else worried about suspending basic Constitutional civil liberties with an emergency order?

I don't agree with the specific right-wing beliefs or tactics but I don't really like the government and their police force having the power to outlaw anyone's Constitutional right to assemble. Maybe I'm just old school, I think the rights granted under the First Amendment are the most powerful and absolute we have. I'll be very interested to see how the ACLU eventually handles their stance on this (all I've seen so far is an interesting statement that civil liberties must always be protected unless restrictions are "grounded in science&quot and how far it eventually goes in the courts.

[Initech]

34. If you want to see extreme examples of stay at home orders look at the Philippines and India.

Where they have guys with giant shot guns patrolling the streets threatening to shoot anyone who even sets foot outside of their house, when I think it's bad here, it could get worse. These morons wouldn't know tyranny if it jumped up and bit them.

[The Magistrate]

36. I Will Point Out Just One Thing, Sir

The First Amendment guarantees "the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

A crowd in which men bear arms is by definition not a peaceable assembly. Bearing arms is always an implied threat of deadly violence, and in an assembly, arms are borne with the intent to intimidate onlookers and law enforcement alike.

These people need to be put to the test: do I open fire on an officer of the law, or do I obey the lawful order of an officer of the law? Their pretense they are law-abiding citizens of heroic mien must be stripped from them. They, and everyone else, must understand they are either outlaw rebels, or craven cowards.