POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ – Even Black Lives Matters protestors have chosen to go elsewhere after originally scheduling a 3 pm rally in the borough. Last week, the town hosted a conservative-leaning freedom rally and today the city was gearing up to host a protest in honor of George Floyd’s death. Those plans changed after the organizer suddenly canceled the event and merged it with the Asbury Park protest.
“We are aware of the advertisement of a Black Lives Matter protest for this afternoon at 3pm. As of Saturday afternoon, this event was canceled by the organizer encouraging everyone to attend another rally. Regardless of this cancellation, Residents and visitors should expect a large police presence in the event that protesters show up. However, at this time there is no credible information to suggest that it will occur,” said the chief of police in the town which had locked itself down on Memorial Day weekend. “We will continue to monitor social media and the Silver Lake lot and will be prepared to handle any incident that presents itself. On a personal note, we are outraged by the actions of the police officer from Minneapolis and share with all other law officers condemnation of his actions. We are better than this, and I am proud that my officers have always treated people with integrity and respect. That will not change. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of George Floyd and all the dedicated men and women who put their uniform on and now have to be subjected to the actions of a man who should never have been given the opportunity to wear a badge. This sickens me and justice will be delivered in due time.”