TRENTON – The Senate today adopted Governor Murphy’s conditional veto on a bill sponsored by Senator Paul Moriarty and Senator Benjie Wimberly that is aimed at cutting down on organized fighting or other disruptive behavior at a public gathering or event. Besides creating the new offense, which would be a crime of the fourth degree, the bill, S-3507, would upgrade the penalty for engaging in disorderly conduct in certain circumstances.
The legislation was introduced in response to a rash of organized fights and other disturbances that have plagued local community events over the past few years. Over this past Memorial Day Weekend, nearly 100 people were arrested in Seaside Heights after multiple fights and stabbings.
“Community gatherings are meant to be celebratory events that draw people together, but recent disruptions by large groups have spoiled the spirit of such events, and in some cases, placed the general health and safety of those who attend at risk,” said Senator Moriarty (D-Gloucester-Camden-Atlantic). “This bill is meant to make such incidents less frequent and to give our public safety officers more training and resources to help bring these situations under control.”
Over the last Memorial Day weekend, local police were forced to respond to large, disruptive crowds and unruly behavior around at least three of the state’s most popular boardwalks — Wildwood, Ocean City, and Seaside Heights. Those incidents reportedly included the stabbing of a 15-year-old involved in a large brawl, forcing Wildwood to close its boardwalk overnight, and declaring a state of emergency due to what police called “civil unrest.”
In June of 2024, it was reported that an annual event in Gloucester Township was disrupted by unruly crowds and multiple fights, leading to a dozen arrests. In this incident, there was reportedly a plan distributed on social media where more than 1,000 people were expected to show up to cause unrest. Police reported that at least 500 people began congregating in large groups during the event, and multiple fights began to occur over several hours. A total of 12 people were arrested, including two adult males and 10 juveniles.
“Deliberately planning to incite violence, participating in large-scale fighting, or causing other disruptions at public events that have long been a New Jersey tradition for building communities and relaxing with friends and neighbors have no place in our towns,” said Senator Wimberly (D-Passaic/Bergen). “This legislation will hopefully help us begin to put a stop to this sort of behavior.”
The bill designates that the offense of “Inciting a Public Brawl through Disorderly Conduct” would be designated a crime of the fourth degree that would carry penalties of up to 18 months imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
The bill passed in a 35-3 vote.