New Jersey assemblywoman Vicky Flynn told “Fox and Friends” on Wednesday that “soft-on-crime policies” in the blue state were to blame for a series of brawls and stabbings during Memorial Day weekend at a prominent Jersey shore promenade, which resulted in scores of arrests.
“Over the last seven years, there have been numerous policies adopted and a lack of enforcement that prevent law enforcement from taking action to prevent what’s going on and what you’re seeing at the shore,” said Flynn, a Republican who represents Monmouth County on the Jersey coast.
“We have laws that prevented law enforcement from engaging with minors who might be caught drinking alcohol or smoking pot, just because of left-leaning type policies to allow these type of behaviors.”
According to local accounts, at least 73 persons were detained in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, between early Friday and 6 a.m. on Monday, including 52 adults and 21 juveniles. A string of brawls and stabbings broke out on the boardwalk, prompting authorities to temporarily close the tourist attraction.
“We’ve taken a lot of steps to reverse those practices, but it was combined with the COVID shutdowns. I believe children were not in school for lengthy periods of time, their maturity levels were impacted, and all of this together, but the soft-on-crime policies of our state are what lead to what we’re witnessing right now on our boardwalks,” Flynn continued.
Host Lawrence Jones pointed out that several of the participants in the social media videos were wearing masks. Flynn stated that both houses of the New Jersey state legislature unanimously passed a bill allowing law enforcement to come down on those provoking the brawls, but Gov. Phil Murphy, D-N.J., stopped it.
“These people are coming to these areas, putting masks on, so that they can’t get caught, so they’re coming to these events, they’re coming to the boardwalk, causing chaos, but covering their faces so they can’t be caught later on through an investigation,” Mr. Flynn added.
Murphy conditionally rejected the bill, expressing worries that it would violate First Amendment rights, according to NJ.com.
Flynn urged the legislature to overturn the governor’s veto, but the “Trenton Democrats decided to motion my attempt to override the veto.”
Three young people were stabbed in separate incidents, Seaside Heights Detective Steve Korman told local media, adding that the third stabbing forced officials to temporarily close the boardwalk soon after midnight Monday.
According to FOX 29 Philadelphia, SWAT forces were on standby ahead of the weekend following a similar incident involving large groups of rowdy juveniles over the long holiday weekend last year.
Jones questioned Flynn on whether there was room for a common-sense Republican candidate in the blue state.
“Absolutely, I believe that Republicans will have a successful year this year as a result of instances like this. New Jerseyans are not stupid, particularly the voters. They will come out strong as a result of these measures. “They are sick and tired of their state being overrun with soft-on-crime policies,” Flynn added.
